Book One: Misted Over
by Kitten With A Tie
Summary: Hollypaw thinks that she's in the prophecy, but Leopardpaw is the third cat, not her. Hollypaw is outraged at this, and seeks revenge, then learns Leopardpaw's dirty little secret... Now book one in series. Cat on cover is Leopardpaw.
1. Chapter 1: Pine Sky

**Hello, guys! I know, I have a lot of stuff to work on, but I really wanted to work on this instead of burying myself in a heap of my other stories. c: Anyway, Leopardpaw will fit in perfectly with the story as if she was in the series.**

**Thornclaw is apprenticed around Leopard's time, so they are the same age.**

_**-x-x-x**_

**Leopardpaw POV-**

_I padded behind my _metor, Berrynose. The clouds were fat and a dark shade of grey, rain threatening to fall at any moment. A chilly breeze ruffled my fluffed up golden pelt. The sky was purple-grey, with and the sun shone dimly, casting a pale gold shaft of light over the trees of ThunderClan.

Thornpaw padded alongside me, his golden brown pelt bristling. I slowed to a stop as Berrynose skidded to a stop and stuck his nose in the air, nostrils quivering. Thornpaw's mentor, Hazeltail, slowed down behind Berrynose.

"RiverClan," Berrynose hissed, lowering his broad head and lashing his stump tail. As he spoke, a patrol of cats burst into the clearing, their jaws full of prey. In the lead was a small brown tabby tom, and behind him was a dark grey tabby tom and a mottled grey tabby cat. Crouched behind the mottled tom was a mottled grey tom.

"I believe you have stolen something from ThunderClan," snarled Hazeltail, taking a step forward. The leading brown tabby sniffed and dropped the squirrel on the ground. "RiverClan needs food," he grunted. "ThunderClan has more then enough."

I took a step forward, standing beside Hazeltail. "Go home!" I shouted. "RiverClan belongs in the river, not in the trees."

The mottled tom jumped out fom behind the mottled grey tabby and snarled at me, all the fur on his neck bristling. I winced at the fishy scent of his breath.

"Why don't you go back up the trees?" he hissed. I snarled and pounced, my claws raking over his side. I underestimated my enemy, and I grunted as he kicked me hard in the belly with his hind feet.

I fell backwards and flailed helplessly as he sunk his teeth into my lashing gold tail. I grit my teeth and kicked out my left hind paw, catching him underneath his green eyes. He yelped and squirmed as I took control, cuffing him over the side of his face.

He sunk his teeth into my shoulder, and I blindly clawed at his sides, hissing. I could catch glimpses of Berrynose and Hazeltail, fighting as one, driving away the brown tabby and dark grey tabby.

Thornpaw was wrestling with the mottled grey tabby, his teeth snapping at the cat's throat.

I yowled in pain as claws slashed over my forehead and blood dripped into my eyes, blinding me. I charged forward, grabbing the mottled grey cat by surprise, my head shoving against his chest and driving him into the thorns.

"Not so fast on land, huh?" I sneered as I watched the thorns pierce his slick pelt. He flailed in the bushes, brambles wrapping around his paws, thorns digging deep into his pelt.

"Help!" he cried. I snorted. How _stupid_ could this cat be? But I grabbed him by the scruff and yanked him backwards. I dropped him on the ground, my eyes narrowed.

His hindlegs were still caught in the thorn bush, and blood was turning his mottled grey pelt brown.

"If you come back here again," I threatened. "I'll shove you into the bushes again!" He flattened his ears. "Meet me here tomorrow at moonhigh." His voice was barely audible, and I wondered if I had heard him correctly.

"What?" I hissed. "Do you have clouds in your brain? ThunderClan and RiverClan are at their throats because of your little thief patrol."

The mottled tabby let out a whimper. "Please. I'll explain everything if you just come here tomorrow."

I narrowed my eyes. "Fine," I said at last. "But if you are planning anything-"

"I'm not," he interrupted. I turned my head to see Berrynose chasing away the brown tabby, snapping at his heels.

"And don't come back!" he yowled. The brown tabby yowled back, "Don't count on it! RiverClan _will _be back!" And then he was gone.

I turned my head to see the mottled tabby disappear into the trees with the flick of his sleek tail. Thornpaw trotted up to me, his eyes bright with excitememt.

"Did you see me?" he demanded. "I had that RiverClan cat in a grip! Too bad he spends so much time in the river. He slipped right out of my paws."

I only murmured something. I could still see the tom's green eyes, his slick, mottled pelt, neat, round paws...

I shook my pelt immediatly. I don't have time to moon over toms- espically _RiverClan _toms! With their nasty, fishy breath and wet pelts. I snorted with disgust just thinking about it.

I grunted as rain splashed onto my snout. "It's raining!" Berrynose meowed. "Lets get back to camp and talk to Firestar about this." I padded after my mentor. Hazeltail lagged behind, wounds covering her grey and white pelt.

I dropped behind and looked up at Thornpaw's mentor. "Are you alright?" I demanded. Her shoulders were covered with scratches, and a long, thin scratch ran from her ear to the base of her tail. One of her ears had a nick, and blood dripped from a bad wound on her forehead.

"Yeah," she grunted. "I'm fine. A tough warrior like me won't let a few scratches bring me down!" I could tell she was putting up a act by the way her shoulders slumped and the dull glow in her green eyes.

I sighed as more rain came pouring down, drenching my pelt and making my wounds sting. As we entered camp, I didn't know about the horrible things I would face.

_**-x-x-x**_


	2. Chapter 2: Secrets and More Secrets

_**-b-e-r-r-y**_

As Berrynose and Hazeltail explained what happened at the border, I chatted with Thornpaw about the battle. Hollypaw, Lionpaw, and Jaypaw had came over to listen. Jaypaw had been born blind, but I guess StarClan had changed their mind and made him see.

"I had that RiverClan warrior in a death grip!" said Thornpaw, clawing at the sand. "You should've seen the look on his face! He won't be coming back to our territory in a hurry."

Hollypaw glanced at Jaypaw, her green eyes clouded. "But you didn't kill him, right?" she demanded. Thornpaw blinked his yellow eyes.

"Do you think I'm a Dark Forest warrior?" he demanded, offended. "I would never kill a cat in cold blood!"

Hollypaw wasn't convinced, and leaned over and whispered something to Lionpaw. Lionpaw snorted and gave her a sharp nudge on the side and I pricked my ears for his reply. "Stop fretting, Hollypaw," he hissed. "Thornpaw would never break the warrior code."

"But he said he had the warrior in a _death grip_!" Hollypaw hissed back. Lionpaw shook his head, not bothering to guard his annoyance. "Hollypaw, just because we're in the prophecy doesn't mean-" He stopped speaking when he noticed me listening, and he glanced at his sister, unease in his amber eyes.

Hollypaw glared at her brother, her green eyes round with fear. "See?" she hissed. "Now she knows, and she's going to tell everybody." I said nothing, turning my head away and lapping at the blood that seeped from my wounds.

But truly, my head was buzzing with questions. What prophecy? Did Firestar know? Why did StarClan choose _them_? I felt a twinge of envy. They were no older then me, yet StarClan chose them!

Was StarClan mouse-brained or what?

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" called Firestar, his ginger pelt lashing. Cats were already in the clearing, taking seats undereath the Highledge.

Berrynose and Hazeltail were standing beside him. Berrynose had his chin held high in the air, while Hazeltail was looking down, unease and awe on her face.

"As you know, Berrynose and Hazeltail were hunting with their apprentices when RiverClan was stealing our prey. Hazeltail," he added, with a nod at the white and grey warrior. "Please describe what you have seen."

Hazeltail opened her mouth to speak, but was harshly shoved aside by Berrynose. "Pardon me, Firestar," he said loudly, with a glare at his sister, "but _I _was leading the patrol, and _I _think that I should be the one to give the report."

Firestar narrowed his green eyes and began to speak, but a light brown tabby rose to her paws and yowled, "I agree with Berrynose! Let _him _speak!" I narrowed my eyes at the she-cat. Her blue eyes were glazed with love and affeciton as she glanced at Berrynose, but the stuck-up tom didn't even look at her. His amber gaze was locked on Firestar, his chin lifted slightly as if challenging his leader to contradict his request.

Firestar sighed. "Very well." Hazeltail glared at her brother before stepping backwards, her green eyes still narrowed into slits.

"Well," Berrynose meowed, glaring down at the cats. I sighed at my mentor's arrogance. "_My _patrol was patrolling near the RiverClan border when they suddenly jumped out of the bushes and stole the prey we caught."

I stole a look at Thornpaw. His yellow eyes were slits, and he was digging his claws into the ground, tail lashing. My mentor was lying, but I dare not speak up. "So I jumped on the cat in the lead and clawed at him until he ran off, howling," Berrynose continued. "Then I fought off the rest single pawed." He swatted at the air, chest puffed out. I looked at Firestar, whose green eyes were glittering with amusement. He could tell that Berrynose was lying, yet my leader didn't say anything.

Honeypaw had sat back down, yet beside me, which was a mistake. Her blue eyes were wide with awe, tracking Berrynose's every movement. When the tom had finished speaking, she had grinned and said, "That's wonderful, Berrynose! You're such a great warrior!"

But once again Berrynose ignored her. His eyes were locked on me, with a tiny smirk on his lips. Honeypaw followed his gaze and frowned when she tracked it back to me. "What's so special about you?" she hissed, jealousy and scorn dripping from her voice.

I shrugged. "He's my mentor," I replied. "Maybe he wanted to prove that he _is _a good warrior." Honeypaw dug her claws into the ground. "Well, whatever. Just stay away from him, alright? If you make any sudden moves, you're crowfood!"

I blinked. Man... Honeypaw was _way _out of character. I glanced around to see Hollypaw glaring at me, and I felt a twinge of discomfort squirm in my belly. Was she still mad about earlier? I'd better talk to her later.

Firestar was speaking. "Keep a lookout for any RiverClan warriors. You are more then welcome to chase them out." He flicked his ginger tail to signal that the meeting was over, and he disappeared into his den.

I padded over to Hollypaw. She was talking to Jaypaw, her head bowed. "Ahem," I said, clearing my throat. The black she-cat turned and glared at me, her green eyes blazing. "What do _you _want?" she asked coldly. Jaypaw said nothing, his blue gaze staring straight through me.

I shifted my weight on my paws. "Well... I just wanted to say that I'm sorry," I muttered. "It was wrong of me to listen to you, and I apologize." Hollypaw snorted. "Do you think that will undo what you did?" she snarled. "What Lionpaw and I were talking about was none of your business! You should be ashamed of yourself; StarClan will look down on you and pity you!" I bowed my head, giving in to Hollypaw's rant.

"I'm sorry," I repeated. "It's just that you called Thornpaw-"

"Leave him out of this," Hollypaw interrupted, emotion flickering in her green eyes. "He has nothing to do with anything."

Jaypaw touched the tip of his tail to Hollypaw's shoulder. "We have to tell her," he insisted. "She already knows about the prophecy, we might as well tell her the rest." Hollypaw looked like Jaypaw had told her that he was really a ShadowClan cat and that he was going to kill her.

"No." Her words were barely audible. "No," she repeated, her voice slowly rising. "What would StarClan do? What about the warrior code?"

Jaypaw shook his head. "The prophecy is _stronger _then the warrior code," he murmured. "So that means we have to break it?" Hollypaw snarled, the fur on her neck rising. "No," Jaypaw replied. "The prophecy says that we have to protect the Clans. Even if that means breaking the warrior code. We have to do this, Hollypaw."

The black she-cat said nothing. She was silent for what seemed like moons. Jaypaw's eyes were round and blue. No doubt shone in the deep pools of wisdom... wait, _wisdom_? Jaypaw was no bigger then a fox cub! What would _he _know?

"Alright," Hollypaw said at last. "I'll go get Lionpaw." She turned and padded away, disappearing into the apprentice den.

I sat in front of Jaypaw. My pelt felt hot and itchy. I began to groom my pelt, and then I stopped, letting my thoughts consume me.

I was named Leopardpaw, right? Well, I looked _nothing _like a leopard. I had a pale grey pelt with lighter spots, and a underbelly the same shade of grey. My tail was long and thin with a fluffy white tip, like a lion's tail. My eyes were grey-blue, and I had black tipped ears.

Weird, right?

I jumped as Lionpaw and Hollypaw approached, their eyes narrowed and serious. I snorted. Who did they think they were? Clan leaders? Jaypaw swung around, his blue-grey pelt fluffed out a little. "Come," he ordered, swishing his fluffy tail. "We'll tell you everything."

_**-l-e-o-p-a-r-d**_


	3. Chapter 3: The Tunnels

_**-j-a-y**_

_I padded behind Lionpaw _underneath the pine trees that stretched high into the sky. Rain fell, slipping down leaves and dotting our pelts. Jaypaw and Lionpaw seemed to not mind, but Hollypaw was cursing under her breath. Jaypaw turned sharply to the left, and I skidded in the mud to follow. He trotted into a den, ducking down and squeezing inside.

I stopped and peered down into the dark tunnel. "Jaypaw?" I called. "Is it safe?" My voice echoed through the hole, yet Jaypaw didn't reply.

"Go!" I heard Hollypaw's impatient meow and I stumbled and plummeted headfirst into the hole. I yowled in fear and tried to grip the ground, but my wet paws slipped feebly over the mud.

I grunted as I slammed to the ground. The world spun, and I barely moved out of the way as Lionpaw and Hollypaw crashed down too. We had landed on a pile of moss, as if a cat had put it there. "We discovered this hollow moons ago." I turned my head to see Jaypaw padding up to us, his pelt clinging to him.

"It was supposed to be a secret," he went on, with a glare at me. "But I guess every cat will figure it out one day." I lowered my head, feeling guilty. These three cats had to give up their secret place just because I had to stick my nose into their pelt.

Jaypaw turned and walked down the tunnel, leaving wet paw prints. I followed carefully. Hollypaw and Lionpaw followed, their gaze fixed straight ahead. Jaypaw jumped over a tiny pond, but I splashed through it carelessly.

Lionpaw hissed, but I ignored him. Keeping my eyes on Jaypaw's fluffy tail swinging to and fro was more important then thim getting their paws wet.

"_There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws._" Jaypaw said. I froze. "What?"  
"_There will be three, kin of your kin, who hold the power of the stars in their paws._"

I could say nothing. Those words sent a chill through my bones, squeezing my insides, pulling my ears and yanking my limbs around.

Then I quickly blinked and shook my pelt. The tunnel walls seemed to be caving in on me, and I felt small and vulnerable. The walls were a dark brown, with bits of rock weaved in among roots.

"I have to get out of here." Without waiting for a reply, I turned and barged past Lionpaw and Hollypaw. Lionpaw growled at me, and Hollypaw snapped her teeth near my nose. My padding turned to a trot, and that turned into a run.

I sharply turned to the left, and then to the left again until I burst into a small clearing. A stream ran through the middle, with a little boulder settled about a fox-length away from it. I sniffed the air cautiously and stiffened. The scent of Lionpaw and a unfamiliar smell filled my nose; the two scents were weaved together, as if the two cats had been pressed against each other.

I sighed. I needed to get out of here. I jumped over the stream and began to enter one of the many tunnels when I perked my ears and heard my name being called: "Leopardpaw! Leopardpaw, where are you?"

I grit my teeth. It was Jaypaw, Lionpaw and Hollypaw. I darted into the shadow of the boulder, praying that my grey pelt would blend in to the shadow.

"She went in here," I heard Hollypaw say. Pads scraped over the dirt. I peered over the edge of the boulder to see Jaypaw and Hollypaw sniffing near the stream. Lionpaw had froze in the entrance to the tunnel, his amber eyes wide.

"Come on, Lion-" Hollypaw cut herself off and closed her mouth. Lionpaw gave a tiny nod, and Hollypaw dug her claws into the ground. "You still think about her, don't you?"

Another nod.

"Well, stop it!"

I tilted my head as Hollypaw snarled at Lionpaw. "Heatherpaw is in the _past_!" she hissed. That must've been the unfamiliar scent.

"We have a prophecy to worry about." Jaypaw glanced at his littermates, rolled his eyes and jumped over the stream with a single bound.

I quickly pulled myself back behind the boulder and prayed to StarClan that Jaypaw wouldn't check behind the boulder.

"Have you ever been in love?" Lionpaw snarled.

"No!" Hollypaw hissed. "And I don't plan on it! Do you think I would want to be laying in the nursery with kits squirming underneath me? No! I want to be a _warrior!_"

I winced.

Her words were too harsh; maybe Lionpaw _wanted _to have a mate, and have kits squirming underneath him. Uhh.. not him. His mate.

"Well, maybe the things _you _want are different from the things that _I _want!"

"The prophecy is more important then a stupid mate and a stupid kit! Now, keep yourself together! If I see you even _glancing _at a she-cat, I'll be _more _then _mad _at _you_!" I could imagine the black she-cat facing her brother, pelt fluffed out, green eyes blazing and claws unsheathed.

"I wish I was _never _a part of the prophecy because of my stupid sister ruining my whole life!" Paws thudded against the ground, and I watched Lionpaw soar over the boulder and dart out of one of the tunnel entrances.

I huffed as Jaypaw shoved me sharply in my side. "Found me," I said weakly, giving a tense smile. Hollypaw was by her brother's side, giving me a indignant glare.

"Eavesdropping again, are we?" she asked, her voice cold.

_**-h-e-a-t-h-e-r**_

We headed back to camp. I fluffed out my pelt, trying my best to block out the cold winds of night. The sky was a deep sade of purple, and the warriors of StarClan were starting to appear. The purple light shone through the trees, and as we padded through the violet patches of moonlight, Jaypaw suddenly skidded to a stop.

"My stick!" His words were barely audible, and I jumped backwards as the blue grey apprentice barged past. He ducked into some bushes and pulled backwards and faced us. "Rock..." he whispered, dropping a stick and rubbing it with his paws. "Rock, please talk to me.."

I tilted my head and glanced at Hollypaw. She was just as bemused as me, her tail twitching, eyes glued on her littermate.

Jaypaw suddenly crouched down, dropping the stick. His blue grey fur rose, and his blue eyes flashed. The whole world went black, and I jumped backwards. Hollypaw was by my side in the blink in a eye, pressing against me, trembling.

I bit back a yowl of fear as a a cat appeared. Instead of fur, he had pink skin with tufts of fur along his spine, a rat-like tail, and bulging blind grey eyes and a sagging body.

"Hello, Jaypaw," he said, his grey eyes staring straight at me. Jaypaw looked at the cat, rising up, his tail lashing with excitement. "Rock!" he mewed. "Do you have anything to tell me?" The bald cat gave a tiny not before opening his mouth and saying, "You must travel to the mountains," he said. "But not today. In three sunrises, you must go to the mountains and help the tribe."

Then he blinked his grey eyes and took a step towards me. "Even you." his voice was barely audible, with a slight echo to it.

Then the cat vanished, and the world turned back to normal. I let my breath out, and my whole body shivered. "What is the matter with that crazy cat?" Hollypaw snapped at Jaypaw. "Why should we take _her _to the mountains?"

I growled and began to reply, but Jaypaw beat me to it. "Maybe she plays an important role in the prophecy," he suggested. "Maybe she _should _go to the mountains."

Hollypaw glared at me, but suddenly a golden brown shape bounded from the bushes. "Thornpaw!" Jaypaw, Hollypaw, and I all cried in union. Yellow eyes bright, Thornpaw meowed, "Mountains? You get to go to the mountains? Can I come too?"

_**-t-h-o-r-n**_


	4. Chapter 4: Daisy

_**Summary: **__Hollypaw glared at me, but suddenly a golden brown shape bounded from the bushes. "Thornpaw!" Jaypaw, Hollypaw, and I all cried in union. Yellow eyes bright, Thornpaw meowed, "Mountains? You get to go to the mountains? Can I come too?"_

_**-l-e-o-p-a-r-d**_

_Jaypaw, Hollypaw, and I _were all silent, staring at Thornpaw. Neither of us knew how long he had been there, or how much he had heard. Jaypaw was the first to break the silence. "Sorry, Thornpaw, but we're only going to the mountains to check up on the tribe."

Thornpaw tilted his head. "The tribe? I've always wanted to see the tribe. Please, please, can I go?" I glanced at Jaypaw. His blue eyes were narrowed and emotionless, while Hollypaw kneaded the ground with her forepaws.

"Well, I guess," Jaypaw meowed. "But you can't tell _anybody! _Espically any of our denmates; we only need four cats to go!" Thornpaw nodded quickly before bounding away, his tail lashing. Hollypaw glared at her brother. "Great! Now we have _two _cats going that aren't even _in _the prophecy."

I said nothing as I followed Jaypaw through the trees. Clouds covered the moon, and I fought to see where I was going.

"Hey!" I turned my head sharply to see the pale mottled grey tom from the fight earlier this morning. "What are you doing?" I hissed, my tail lashing. I could barely make out his shape, and it made me curious that I was able to see his mottled pelt.

"I'll have to reschedule our meeting to tonight," he whispered as he padded through the bushes. "What?" I growled. My belly was prickling with disbelief. "Yeah! Isn't it exciting?" He trotted around me in circles, the tip of his tail brushing my nose.

I swatted at it, and the tom quickly came to a stop behind me. "My name is Pebblepaw," he said, moving in front of me. "You?"

"Leopardpaw."

"That's a nice name, even though you look _nothing _like a leopard."

I hissed at him. "Go! _Now!_" He looked a little hurt, but I couldn't let my guard go down. "At least tell me what's going on with RiverClan." Pebblepaw sat down and curled his tail neatly around his large paws.

"Twolegs are messing with our river," he began. "And poisining our fish. Tomorrow at the Gathering, Mistystar is going to ask all three Clans to give up a little bit of their territory so that we can have some food."

I narrowed my eyes and took a step forward. "Well, you had better leave _right _now!" I snarled, "because Firestar isn't giving up _any _of his land because of the river." Pebblepaw bristled a little, and I crouched down, my lip curled back.

"We _need _food," he insisted, a tiny note of desperation in his voice. "Please let me hunt here..." I leaped onto him, pinning him beneath me. "Don't you dare beg!" I snarled. "Get out of here before I get a warrior!"

Pebblepaw sighed as I got off of him. He got up, dust and mud caking his slick pelt. I could count every one of his ribs.

"I...I'm sorry," he murmured. "It's just that... my Clan needs food, and I would go to the end of the forest to help them, you know?"

I tilted my head slightly. These cats were starving... "Fine!" I growled. "Take _one _rabbit. If you take anymore, I'll claw your fur off and line my nest with it!" Pebblepaw brightened a little, and grinned.

"Thanks, Leopardpaw!" The RiverClan tom bounded away, and I couldn't help but smile.

_**-p-e-b-b-l-e**_

As I padded into camp, I froze. Daisy was facing Brambleclaw, her cream fur fluffed up, lips curled into a snarl, blue eyes flashing with anger. Brambleclaw had his amber eyes narrowed, yet he wasn't snarling. His head was just tilted to the side a little, and his fur was flat against his bulky frame.

"The forest is a dangerous place!" she snarled. "What's new?" Dustpelt snorted. He had been grooming himself underneath the Highledge, his amber eyes sparkling with amusement. It had been a few moons since he and Ferncloud had broken up, and the tom had been more grumpier then a fox in a fit.

"I've taken my kits away, and I'll do it again!" Berrynose, Hazeltail and Mousewhisker were a fox length away, their eyes wide as they watched their mother.

Brambleclaw blinked. "But they like it here," he pointed out. "Wouldn't you want your kits happy?" Daisy snorted. "Of course, mouse-brain!" I flinched. I had never seen the queen so upset. I was much more used to her whining about her kits.

"What I do with my kits is none of your business!" She stomped past Brambleclaw and began to shove Berrynose, Hazeltail and Mousewhisker towards the barrier.

"Come on! Lets go!" Toadstep and Rosepetail watched a few pawsteps away. "Aren't we _your _kits too, Daisy?" challenged Toadstep, rising to his paws.

Daisy glared at him. "Yes, but you're _forest-born. _These three have been living in a Upwalker- I mean _Twoleg _barn for moons. It was a mistake to bring them here- oh, how could I have been so mouse-brained!" Honeypaw darted forward to stop the horseplace cat.

"No!" she cried. "You can't take Berrynose- I mean, Berrynose, Hazeltail and Mousewhisker away! They belong in the forest!"

Daisy shook her head. "No, Honeypaw. They belong with _me- _and that is with the Upwalkers." She began to shove her kits away. Berrynose lashed out at his mother, barely missing her ear. "No, Daisy!" he hissed. "I will _not _go with you. I want to stay in the forest- Honeypaw is right," he added with a glance at the brown tabby, who brightened at the cream tom's praise.

Daisy rolled her eyes. "Come on, Berrynose. Don't be mouse-brained. Leaf-bare is coming soon- wouldn't you rather be living in a barn with food already caught for you, and a warm place to sleep?"

Berrynose looked down. For once, my mentor was speechless. He bowed his head, amber eyes full of sadness.

"Lets go, kits." Daisy flicked her tail, and her kits walked after her, heads low. Hazeltail looked up and smiled weakly at Thornpaw. "Hey, it would've happened eventually," she murmured, then her head fell back down and she disappeared after her kin.

I blinked. It had happened so quickly that no cat had been able to react. Brambleclaw shook out his pelt. Cloudtail bounded over, his blue eyes bright with anger. "Aren't you going to do something?" he demanded. Brambleclaw sighed. "We were able to bring her back last time; I doubt she will want to come back now..."

Cloudtail bristled. "I knew you would be quick to get rid of her again," he snarled. Brightheart walked over and pressed against her mate, her single eye twinkling with sympathy. "It was Daisy's decision to leave," she murmured.

"I know," sighed Cloudtail. "It's just that she was a great addition to our Clan; well, the nursery that is," he added with a half-hearted purr. His mate smiled.

I padded to the apprentice den. All the day's work suddenly hit me like a blow; my shoulders sagged and my eyes were heavy. I collapsed on my nest and sighed and fell into a deep sleep. I wondered who Firestar would make my new mentor be.

_**-b-e-r-r-y**_


	5. Chapter 5: Return

**Summary: **_"The forest is a dangerous place!" she snarled. "What's new?" Dustpelt snorted. He had been grooming himself underneath the Highledge, his amber eyes sparkling with amusement. It had been a few moons since he and Ferncloud had broken up, and the tom had been more grumpier then a fox in a fit."I've taken my kits away, and I'll do it again!"_

_**-l-e-o-p-a-r-d**_

_A paw prodded my _side, and I lifted up my head and started into familiar amber eyes. "Berry-?"  
"Shh!" My former mentor shoved his paw into my mouth, and the taste of ThunderClan and other cats filled my mouth.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed as he dropped his paw. I was glad that Jaypaw, Hollypaw, and Lionpaw were gone- Jaypaw told me that they were going to discuss some things about going to the mountains. He told me that I needed my rest. Thornpaw was training with Brambleclaw, his new mentor. Honeypaw had been sulking ever since Berrynose had left. Her sister, Poppypaw, had tried to cheer her up, but the light brown tabby refused to let any cat get her happy. "No cat could make me happy," she had whimpered. "Only Berrynose could."

"Hazeltail and Mousewhisker are hiding near camp," he whispered. "We left Daisy at the barn- she thinks we're out making dirt." He sighed. "I'm sorry, Leopardpaw. We had to play along with Daisy- will you come with me to tell Firestar?"

My mouth gaped. I never knew my self-centered mentor could be so smart. I closed my mouth and quickly nodded. I followed him, but I skidded to a stop as Berrynose bounded toward the barrier. He came back with his littermates following him. "Lets go," urged Hazelwhisker, her tail lashing. Then she swiped her tongue over her lips with disgust.

"I can't get the taste of kittypet food out of my mouth! Daisy made us eat some, claiming that it 'was better then mice.'" Hazeltail snorted.

I scraped the ground in disgust. Daisy had been eating all of our prey, claiming that her kits needed as much food as possible if they were to grow up and be big, strong warriors.

I led the way to the highledge, scrambling up onto the blue-gray rock. We quickly entered the den. "Firestar?" I called. "Yes, Leopardpaw?" My leader looked up, his green eyes bright in the dark light of his den.

"Oh, Berrynose!" he cried. "Mousewhisker, Hazeltail! It's you? What are you doing here?" Berrynose quickly explained that they had tricked their mother into believing they wanted to be loners again, and how they had came back to the Clans. Firestar looked up, pride flashing in his forest green eyes.

"You are loyal, brave ThunderClan warriors," he told them. "Come," he added with the sweep of his tail. "Let me tell your Clanmates." He padded out of his den and into the night.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Firestar yowled. My Clanmates filed out of their dens, blinking sleep out of their eyes and fluffing out their pelts against the cold night.

Dustpelt turned his head and looked at the nursery, and his tail drooped as he saw Ferncloud in the entrance, her green eyes bright with curiousity. She didn't even turn to look at her former mate.

"Berrynose, Mousewhisker, and Hazeltail have come back," he began. "They tricked Daisy into thinking they wanted to be loners, and they have come back to the Clans to resume being ThunderClan warriors."

His words met silence. Then a yowl of outrage sliced through the night air. "So they're coming back as warriors?" shouted Dustpelt, lashing his tail. "Don't you think they might go back to their little kittypet mother for food for leaf-bare?"

Berrynose snarled at the older warrior, all the fur on his neck bristling. "Don't you talk about my mother that way," he warned. Dustpelt snorted.

Mousefur glared at Firestar. "Firestar, this isn't a wise choice," she rasped. "Dustpelt is right- these loners can't be trusted. As Dustpelt said, they might go back to their mother for food and come back, while we are starving and hunting through the forest." Firestar blinked.

"Mousefur, I respect your opinion," he replied. "But you are wrong. If they wanted to stay as loners, they would've stayed with their mother. Leaf-bare is coming soon, yet they came back." The dusky brown elder snorted with anger at being told off, and looked away.

I grinned. "The meeting is over." Firestar lashed his tail and padded into his den. My Clanmates returned to their dens.

Honeypaw was waiting at the bottom of the rock, rocking on her paws. When she caught sight of Berrynose, her gaze brightened and she bounded over and brushed her muzzle over his snout. "Yay!" she meowed. "You came back! Poppypaw wouldn't stop talking about you."

Her sister shoved her, and Berrynose gave Poppypaw a look full of amusement and warmth. Honeypaw followed his gaze and frowned at Poppypaw. _Once again, she's jealous, _I mused, smiling to myself.

I grunted as I felt a nose shove into my back. I spun around to see Hollypaw looking at me with eyes full of thrill. "Jaypaw said that we're leaving tomorrow at dawn. Rock told him so," she told me. "And we're taking one cat from each of the other Clans."

The fur on my spine prickled with horror. "Is Jaypaw out of his mind?" I hissed. "Why would he want to bring-"

"Shh!" Hollypaw growled as Poppypaw padded up. "Hi, Leopardpaw and Hollpaw," she mewed, dipping her head to me and Hollypaw. "I'm glad that Hazeltail and the others are back." She purred with amusement. "I almost missed the smell of horses and hay."

I shrugged lightly, my interest slowly fading away. "Sorry to interrupt, Poppypaw," Hollypaw mewed, cutting off the tortoishell and white apprentice. "But Leopardpaw and I have been busy all day, and it would be nice to get some sleep."

Poppypaw nodded, dissapointment swelling in her blue eyes. "Okay, I'll talk to you later then!" She bounded away, heading towards her mentor, Birchfall, who was mewing casually to Whitewing.

I turned and padded to the den, my shoulders sagging and tail dragging in the soft sand beneath my paws. I collapsed in my nest and began to doze off, but a paw clipped my ear. I turned my head, snarling, to see Lionpaw looking at me with amber eyes full of urgency.

"We need to talk about the plan," he insisted, flicking his tail towards Jaypaw, Thornpaw, and Hollypaw, who were all hunched together near the back of the den.

I growled stubbornly. "No! I'm tired. We can discuss it when we're actually _on _the journey. Do you want to be heading to the mountains with your paws dragging over the ground? _I _sure don't."

I turned my head around sharply and closed my eyes, ignoring the snort of contempt Lionpaw gave me. If Lionpaw and his little traveling buddies wanted to stay up all night talking about where they're going to go, fine by me!

_**-m-o-u-s-e**_

_**Sorry, guys, but this chapter is really short and rushed. I promise, I will make the next chapter longer! And yeah, Birchfall is older then Thornpaw, who is his little brother in this. ^^ Dovewing and Ivypool are here, but they aren't mentioned yet.**_

_**Anyway, please review! :D**_

_**~squiort**_


	6. Chapter 6: Dawn of a Journey

_**Summary: **__"We need to talk about the plan," he insisted, flicking his tail towards Jaypaw, Thornpaw, and Hollypaw, who were all hunched together near the back of the den. I growled stubbornly. "No! I'm tired. We can discuss it when we're actually on the journey. Do you want to be heading to the mountains with your paws dragging over the ground? I sure don't."I turned my head around sharply and closed my eyes, ignoring the snort of contempt Lionpaw gave me. If Lionpaw and his little traveling buddies wanted to stay up all night talking about where they're going to go, fine by me!_

_**-r-o-c-k**_

_A paw prodding my side roused _me from my dreams. I looked up, blinking sleep from my eyes. I looked into Jaypaw's blue eyes, and he gave a small nod that meant, _"It's time." _I stepped over the sleeping bodies of Honeypaw and Poppypaw. I sighed and looked at them, mentally whispering to them, _"Goodbye, my friends."_

I padded into the clearing to see Hollypaw, Lionpaw, and Thornpaw waiting for me. Each of them carried a piece of prey. The pale light of the sun as it rose above the horizion, casting it's pink and red light over the trees.

The air had a light chill to it, and as I breathed, I billowed a tiny cloud. "What a wonderful day to be traveling!" I mewed sarcastically, my paws crunching over the frost covered ground. "I bet that _all _the cats have to travel to the first frost of leaf-fall."

Hollypaw rolled her eyes and bounded away, disappearing through the barrier. Jaypaw and Lionpaw padded after her. Jaypaw carried a dark grey sparrow, and Lionpaw was hauling a light brown rabbit in his jaws.

I darted towards the fresh kill pile and grabbed a squirrel. I stumbled towards the barrier, tripping over the squirrel's long, tawny tail.

"Where are you going?" I jumped in surprise, and turned my head to see Squirrelflight padding towards me, her green eyes bright with curiosity. I groned silently.

Squirrelflight was the most nosy cat in the Clan; no wonder she was asking me where I was going. "I... uh..." I looked around, then spotted the hole in the barrier. "I'm going to make dirt," I lied.

Squirrelflight tilted her head. "With a squirrel?" I quickly nodded. "Yeah! I'm going to make sure nobody... takes it.." The ginger she-cat purred.

"Apprentices! Go on, nobody is stopping you." She turned and trotted back to the warriors den, her fluffy tail lashing a little.

I quickly turned and ran out of the thorn barrier. By the time I caught up to my Clanmates, my chest was heaving and my paws were sore from trampling over the frozen grass. They took no notice of my approach, and I padded silently behind them.

We walked around the lake. The shore was frozen. When we reached the edge of the lake, we lay down and waited. I eyed my squirrel hungrily.

"Don't eat it!" Jaypaw snapped as I leaned down to take a bite. "We have to wait for the other cats to get here."

I tilted my head. "Who is coming?" Hollypaw had already told me, but I wanted to be sure.

Jaypaw took a deep breath before meowing, "Breezepaw of WindClan, Tigerpaw of ShadowClan, and Pebblepaw of RiverClan."

I bristled at the mention of the mottled grey apprentice. "Breezepaw.." I muttered. "He sounds familiar. Who is he?"

"A hot-headed apprentice who is the most mouse-brained cat that every lived," Jaypaw spat, then kneaded his paws on the ground anxiously. "I wish Rock would've been more clear who to pick.."

I shrugged, then my eyelids felt heavy and I curled up and fell asleep. "Don't be long," I heard Jaypaw's voice echo lazily in my ears.

_**-l-e-o-p-a-r-d**_

Snarling filled my ears, and I immedialty jumped to my paws, forgetting about my dream. The sky was a light blue, there were no clouds, and the sun shone brightly.

"Four!" a voice spat. "_Four _ThunderClan cats!" I turned my head to see a smoky grey tom with amber eyes flashing with anger. _Breezepaw! _Beside him was a light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

She glanced at Lionpaw, who looked away. Lionpaw glared at Hollypaw, who shrugged, casting a angry glare at the apprentice.

"I can't believe I agreed to go on this stupid journey," he grumbled. "For all I know, these stupid cats might try to take us somewhere _else_." Jaypaw snarled, "You weren't even kitted when your father and the others made the Great Journey, so keep your mouth shut!"

Breezepaw said nothing, just snorted and scraped at the ground. "Fine. Lets just _start _this journey."

He glared a cat behind me, and I turned to see Pebblepaw standing there, his eyes bright. He dropped a silver fish at his paws. "But don't think I'll be thrilled to be walking beside Fishpelt," he snarled.

Pebblepaw's gaze flicked over me, and his eyes twitched with as he recognized me. I looked away, and instead I looked curiously at a large brown tabby who shuffled his paws against the soil.

"Can we go?" he muttered, looking at the cats around him.

Lionpaw was already padding away, pausing near a large rock. "Are you cats going to just stand there until your paws take root?" he called, ears flattened with impatience.

Hollypaw trotted over, her green eyes bright with excitement. "I can't wait!" she mewed, flexing her claws. "The feel of wind in my fur, the smooth rock underpaw..."

I ignored her blabbing and gulped down the rabbit in a few hungry bites. I licked my whiskers and began to groom my pelt, and I glanced up to see Breezepaw looking at me through slitted eyes.

I met his gaze, lifting my chin. He curled his lip and glanced away, muttering under his breath. I could only sigh and pad after my Clanmates, who were already trotting away, their tails flicking back and forth.

As I trotted along, I felt a pelt brush mine and turned my head to see Breezepaw. His gaze was fixed straight ahead.

"So, you're Leopardpaw?" he asked without looking at me.

"Yes," I replied.

"What's it like in ThunderClan?"  
"What do you think?" I retorted. Breezepaw shrugged. "I just wanted to know!"

I grumbled and padded ahead, ignoring his snort. I turned my head to see Pebblepaw and the ShadowClan apprentice... what's his name... oh, yes, _Tiger_paw, walking beside each other quietly.

I sighed as Breezepaw shoved past me and nudged Lionpaw sharply. "How is life afer the tunnels?" he sneered, looking at the light brown tabby beside him, who only grunted and dropped back.

Lionpaw said nothing, just padding past Hollypaw and keeping a pace beside Jaypaw.

Breezepaw kept yowling insults and snide remarks at Lionpaw. I was surprised at Lionpaw's patience; I would've clawed off Breezepaw's ears and shoved them down his throat.

I sighed. This would be a _long _journey.

_**-h-e-a-t-h-e-r**_

**Sorry, guys, but this chapter is really short. In the next chapter, it will be longer, I promise. :D Anyway, I need some names for a kittypet they're gonna run into... maybe, a whole **_**Clan **_**of kittypets? Huh? Huh Huh?:DD Review, please :D**

**~squiort**


	7. Chapter 7: Spottedleaf

_**Summary:**__ Lionpaw said nothing, just padding past Hollypaw and keeping a pace beside Jaypaw. Breezepaw kept yowling insults and snide remarks at Lionpaw. I was surprised at Lionpaw's patience; I would've clawed off Breezepaw's ears and shoved them down his throat. I sighed. This would be a long journey._

_**-b-r-e-e-z-e**_

_The sky had turned a dark shade _of purple by the time we had found shelter in the roots of a old pine tree. The night air was cold, and frost hung from my whiskers and pricked my raw pads. Jaypaw led us inside, and each cat curled up by themselves. I grunted as a tail flicked my ear, and I hissed, "Watch it!" Tigerpaw ducked his head and muttered, "Sorry, Leopardpaw."

"Stop it!" Breezepaw complained, and I watched Pebblepaw remove his paw from the apprentice's ear.

I stiffened as a pelt brushed mine, and turned my head to see Breezepaw grumbling and laying down beside me. I was sleeping in the farthest corner of the tiny tree den.

"What do you want?" I murmured. Breezepaw flicked a ear. "All the _cats_ over there won't stop talking," he hissed. "And I can't sleep."

I snorted. "Fine." Then I curled up and fell asleep, the tip of my tail touching my nose.

_**-b-r-e-e-z-e**_

I awoke in a forest. Tall, pine trees stretched up towards the sky, and mist swirled around the pines. The air had a sweet, flowery scent to it.

I bristled as a lithe shape came from the trees. "Who are you?" I demanded. The cat had a tortoishell pelt, and soft, caring amber eyes, and the sweet scent came from her pelt.

"I am Spottedleaf," the cat murmured softly. "And I must tell you something." She took a step towards me, and I stepped backwards, my claws unsheathing and my grey eyes flashing. "Don't come near me!" I hissed.

Spottedleaf purred warmly. "I will not hurt you, little warrior." I relaxed; the warmth in her voice calmed me, and I sheathed my claws and met the tortoishell cat's gaze.

_"Beware of the cat who believes she is one," _Spottedleaf meowed, her voice coming out soft. I bristled again. "What?" I demanded.

But Spottedleaf turned away, and padded into the trees, the sweet scent fading. "No!" I cried. "Come back!" I chased the StarClan warrior, but she was gone. I skidded to a stop as I heard a voice.

"Leopardpaw."

I shook my head and tried to follow Spottedleaf's scent, but it was fading, and my eyelids were growing heavy. "No!" I yowled. "Spottedleaf! Please come back!"

_"Beware of the cat who believes she is one."_

Spottedleaf's sweet breath ruffled my ear fur, and I swung my head to and fro, my eyes searching the forest for Spottedleaf once more.

"Leopardpaw..."

I perked my ears, hoping that Spottedleaf was calling me.

"Leopardpaw..."

I ran through the trees.

"Leopardpaw... I'm here..."

Fog swirled down, covering my sight. My paws slipped over the ground as I tried to find Spottedleaf.

"Leopardpaw..." the voice was filled with amusement. "Can't you find me? I'm here!" I turned my head again, desperatly trying to find her.

"Please!" I yowled. "Please!"

"Leopardpaw... I'm here..."

_**-s-p-o-t-t-e-d-**_

"Leopardpaw! Wake _up_!" I grunted as a paw jabbed my side, and I looked up. Breezepaw was no where to be found. The entire den was emtpy, except for Thornpaw, who was preparing to hit me with his paw again.

"I'm up," I grumbled. My pelt was still ruffled, and I could still smell Spottedleaf's sweet scent on my pelt. "Come on," Thornpaw urged. "All the other cats are already up, and they've hunted. Lionpaw is waiting with your share."

Ears hot with embarresment, I ducked out of the tree den and entered the clearing. The sky was a dark blue, and the sun shone lazily from behind fluffy grey clouds.

I spotted my Clanmates crouched beside a dark green bush, half eaten prey by their paws. I bounded over and picked up a plump mouse and devoured it in a few hungry bites.

Jaypaw narrowed his eyes at me. "We let you sleep the longest," he muttered, "because we needed to discuss something about what you did last night."

I looked at Thornpaw, who glanced away, shifting his paws on the soil beneath his feet.

Hollypaw took a step forward, her lip curled in a snarl. "Why were you sleeping near Breezepaw?" she snarled. "You were pressed against each other, and Breezepaw's head was underneath your chin!" I didn't answer, just looked over at the WindClan apprentice, who was grasping a grey rabbit, and looking at it blankly.

"Well?" Hollypaw demanded, the fur on her neck standing up. I shrugged. "_You _were meowing like a nest of starlings, so he came over to me where I was quiet."

Lionpaw looked embarrassed, while Jaypaw and Hollypaw dug their claws into the ground. "Let's just get going," Pebblepaw meowed as he trotted over. "Or are we going to just sit here and chatter all day?"

I smirked at Hollypaw. Jaypaw snorted and began to lead the cats away, his gaze fixed straight ahead. Hollypaw shoved me with her shoulder. "This isn't over," she hissed in my ear. "Don't think that just because Pebblepaw saved you, doesn't mean that the warrior code isn't coming back."

_**-h-o-l-l-y**_

We traveled for a few hours, then took shelter near a Twolegplace as rain began to pour down. I curled my lip angrily as the rain came down, thudding against the grass, echoing in my ears.

"Well, this is great," complained Breezepaw. "We've only been traveling for a few hours, and now we're hiding just because of some rain?" Pebblepaw licked his wet fur. "Just because I'm RiverClan, doesn't mean that we don't like rain," he grumbled.

I looked up at the towering shape of the Twolegplace, like a mountain. The sounds of Twolegs screaming and screeching filled my ears, and I shuddered.

Not far from the tree we sheltered was a tiny Thunderpath. Monsters roared by, throwing up rain and dirt, tainting the grass.

"Lets get some sleep," Jaypaw decided. "And go to sleep hungry?" I remarked, lashing my tail. "No way!" The blue grey apprentice glared at me, his eyes flashing. "You'll survive. We ate this morning. Now _go _to sleep!"

He curled up, and Hollypaw lay down beside him. Lionpaw sat down stiffly, casting a glance at Heatherpaw, who was grooming Breezepaw.

Heatherpaw got up and padded over. I flinched as tension filled the air, and I could almost feel Breezepaw's jealousy.

Tigerpaw and Pebblepaw were meowing to each other, letting out occasional huffs of laughter.

I sighed and leaned against the tree, my wet pelt clinging to me. My belly howled in anger at not being fed, and I squirmed whenever the snarls got too loud.

Breezepaw looked at me, his lips twitching into a smile. I couldn't help but smile back.

He padded over and sat down beside me, his paws curled around one of the roots that jutted out of the damp ground.

"Hungry?" he asked, flicking his tail towards my belly. My ears grew hot, and I nodded. "Come on," Breezepaw mewed. "Lets go hunt."

I snorted. "Into the rain? You must have bees in your brain if you think I'm going hunting in that weather." Breezepaw only pressed his nose against my side. "I promise," he said, "that we'll have fun!" I sighed. "Alright. Lets go."

I padded after my friend- wait, since when was he my _friend_? How about acquaintance- into the rain. It soaked my pelt, and I charged after Breezepaw.

We ran across the Thunderpath just as a monster ran by, splashing mud and grit on my pelt. "Yuck!" I yowled. "This will be a pain to lick off!" Breezepaw said nothing as we padded into the Twolegplace.

"Ew, why are we here?" I demanded as we padded down the smooth path. "For food," he answered. "Twolegs always have food." I said nothing as we walked past fences and Twoleg dens.

Breezepaw showed me a silver rock, and I helped him push it over. We began to sniff through it, and I quickly devoured some of the meat that was in the rock.

"Lets take some of this back," Breezepaw suggested around a chunk of brown meat. "Alright," I agreed, and pulled out a tiny soft thing. It was like a stick, except rolled out with little golden sticks in it.

Just as we began to pad away, loud growling filled my ears, and I turned around to see two black and white toms.

One of them growled and grabbed my tail in his teeth and yanked me backwards. I yelped and dropped the soft stick thing, and whirled around and tried to claw my attacker, but he grabbed me by my tail again and held me in the air.

"What are you doing?" I screamed. "Let me go!" Breezepaw was no better; his attacker was holding him down with one paw, and Breezepaw clawed at the paw furiously as he struggled to free himself.

"This is our territory," said Breezepaw's attacker. "And you have just invaded it."

_**-d-a-r-k**_

**Okay, this is short and rushed. Thank you, Cinderstar377 for the kittypets! Review, please. :D**


	8. Chapter 8: Ashfur's Secret

_**Summary:**__ Just as we began to pad away, loud growling filled my ears, and I turned around to see two black and white toms. One of them growled and grabbed my tail in his teeth and yanked me backwards. I yelped and dropped the soft stick thing, and whirled around and tried to claw my attacker, but he grabbed me by my tail again and held me in the air. "What are you doing?" I screamed. "Let me go!" Breezepaw was no better; his attacker was holding him down with one paw, and Breezepaw clawed at the paw furiously as he struggled to free himself. "This is our territory," said Breezepaw's attacker. "And you have just invaded it._

_**-l-e-a-f**_

_Things were no better back _at home. The first frost had made every cat jumpy and hostile, and the worst thing was that the Gathering was tonight; leave it to ShadowClan or WindClan to try to take some of ThunderClan's territory.

Leafpool was crouched underneath the highledge, sharing a mouse with Squirrelflight. "I don't get it, Leafpool," her sister was meowing. "I don't know _why _Leopardpaw would lie to me." Leafpool replied, "Well, you _are _the most nosy cat in the Clan. I'm not surprised."

Squirrelflight said nothing, just took a bite from the mouse and nudged it back to her sister. Leafpool was no longer a medicine cat; Briarlight was her former apprentice. Even though her left hind leg was broken and would never be fixed, the brown she-cat learned herbs in two moons, and became a medicine cat.

Ashfur padded over, his blue eyes bright. "Hi, Leafpool," he mewed, ignoring Squirrelflight. "Would you like to go hunting with me?"

Leafpool sat up, licking the remains of the mouse from her whiskers. "Sure," she mewed. "Squirrelflight would you like to-"  
"No," Ashfur interrupted. "I need to talk to you about something very important, Leafpool. You and you alone."

Leafpool nodded, with a amused glance at her sister, who had her shoulders hunched and was staring at the warriors den.

"Alright, Ashfur. I'll go with you." She blinked goodbye to her sister, then padded after the speckled grey tom.

As they entered the forest, Ashfur was quiet for a moment, not speaking. His ice blue gaze was fixed straight ahead.

They both said nothing, until Leafpool managed to catch a plump vole and a scrawny mouse. "Prey is already scare," Ashfur mused, holding a skinny rabbit in his jaws. "Yes, yes. Now, what do you want to talk to me about?" Leafpool asked.

"Squirrelflight," Ashfur murmured. "I want to talk about Squirrelflight."

Leafpool sighed and sat down, wrapping her soft tail around her paws. "Talk," she ordered.

"Well, I've been thinking," Ashfur took a deep breath before meowing, "I.. I'm not so sure I like she-cats anymore."

Leafpool nodded slowly. "All the she-cats in the Clan are taken, and the only cat that _isn't _taken is you and Squirrelflight. So, my only options are Sootfur, Spiderleg, Rainwhisker and Mousewhisker," Ashfur went on.

"Mousewhisker is too young," Leafpool pointed out. Ashfur twitched his whiskers. "Spiderleg is a total dirt eater," Ashfur decided. "Sootfur and Rainwhisker are the only ones left."

Leafpool smiled. "Rainwhisker is a good decision," she meowed. "If he doesn't work, try Sootfur."

Ashfur got to his paws, beaming. "Thank you, Leafpool! You're the only one I can trust. Please, _please _don't tell anyone?"

Leafpool nodded her head intently. "I promise. StarClan take my word," she vowed. But as she finished speaking, a large, bulky shape slid out of the shrubs.

"So, you don't like she-cats, huh?" the shape hissed, curling his lip into a sneer. "Brambleclaw!" Ashfur and Leafpool cried. Brambleclaw lowered his head, sneering. "But who wouldn't be _thrilled _to learn that Ashfur isn't as perfect as he is?"

Without waiting for a reply, Brambleclaw turned and ran, crashing through the undergrowth. "No!" Ashfur whimpered, crouching down. "We have to stop him!" Leafpool insisted. "It won't matter," Ashfur replied, shaking his head sadly. "He's probably at camp by now.."

_**-a-s-h**_

As Leafpool and Ashfur padded into camp, cats were already crowded around Brambleclaw, meowing intently.

"Are you serious?"  
"Who told you that?"  
"Shame on him!"  
"I bet StarClan looks down on him!"

Ashfur trembled beside her, and Leafpool pressed against Ashfur, trying to calm down her Clanmate. Brambleclaw turned his head and fixed Ashfur with a triumphant amber stare. A few cats followed his stare.

"Ashfur!" A cat hissed, and Leafpool snarled as Brackenfur padded towards them. "How could you?" Brackenfur asked, his voice full of anger and disapointment. "I... I thought you were different."

Ashfur hissed. "Get away from me, or I'll claw your whiskers off!" Brackenfur winced, but turned and padded back into the crowd of cats.

"All cats old enough to catch your own prey gather beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Firestar yowled. Leafpool hadn't noticed her father climb onto the rock.

Cats were already in the clearing, but no cat sat beside Ashfur except for Leafpool, who touched her nose to her friend's ear.

"As you all know, Ashfur has a deadly secret, that has shocked us all," he meowed, and Leafpool felt Ashfur tense beside her.

"He's an insult to all toms!" yowled Dustpelt. "Drive him out!"

Firestar flicked his tail. "I will not drive him out. Who Ashfur prefers is none of our business, and it only becomes our business with his permission." He flicked his tail towards the speckled grey tom. "Ashfur, do you wish to add anything?"

Ashfur stood up, ignoring the hostile hisses of his Clanmates. "Love is love, right?" he began, lashing his tail. "Love is a special connection with a cat, no matter the gender. I don't care what _any _of you think, but I love a tom, not a she-cat."

Most of the toms let out mutters of disgust, but Sootfur and Rainwhisker looked uncomfortable. Eventually, Sootfur rose to his paws and mewed, "I agree with Ashfur. Love is love." Rainwhisker got to his feet and said, "I agree!" But they both looked a little uneasy.

Firestar growled. "This meeting is over." Then he padded into the den.

Most cats stayed away from Ashfur, casting angry looks at him. Leafpool smirked at him as Sootfur padded up.

"Good luck," she whispered in his ear before trotting away.

Ashfur gulped uneasily as the handsome light grey tom walked up, his amber eyes glinting with interest.

"I think you're brave," he told him. "No cat I know would be brave enough to do that."

Ashfur beamed. "Thanks, Sootfur!" Sootfur dipped his head before trotting out of camp. Brambleclaw stomped up, his head lowered and amber eyes flashing. "Don't think this is over," he hissed.

Ashfur shrugged. "Whatever." But a stone of unease was dropped in his belly as the large brown tabby stalked away. _What will Brambleclaw do to get his revenge on me?_

_**-b-r-a-m-b-l-e**_

**Yeah. I needed a break from Leopardpaw and the others. And this chapter is about being accepted. This was kind of a chapter to get back to the Clans. Gathering in next chappie. Please review! :D**

**~squiort**


	9. Chapter 9: Escape!

**Summary: **_Ashfur beamed. "Thanks, Sootfur!" Sootfur dipped his head before trotting out of camp. Brambleclaw stomped up, his head lowered and amber eyes flashing. "Don't think this is over," he hissed. Ashfur shrugged. "Whatever." But a stone of unease was dropped in his belly as the large brown tabby stalked away. What will Brambleclaw do to get his revenge on me?_

** Cinderstar377: Thank you for the cats, and all the reviews you gave me :D**

** RANDOM97: I will use some of your cats! XD**

**This shall be in Ashfur's POV! :D**

_**-a-s-h-**_

_I padded beside Leafpool. _We chatted casually, even though sometimes Brambleclaw glared at me, like, twelve times. When we reached the Gathering place, Brambleclaw padded over and hissed in my ear, "Don't even _try _talking to any of the other Clan's toms. I've got my eye on you."

I rolled my eyes and followed Leafpool over to the tree. "I have to go with the medicine cats," she mewed reluctantly. "But I promise, I will talk to you later."

I replied, "Okay. I'll be fine." Then I turned and trotted over to ThunderClan. Dustpelt and Cloudtail glared at me, but I ignored them and sat down beside Sootfur. "I'm so excited," he told me. "I bet ShadowClan will be-"

"Let the Gathering begin," yowled Blackstar. "I will begin," he added, with a hostile glare at Firestar, Mistystar, and Onestar.

"We have chased a badger and her cubs out of our territory," he announced. "And prey is running well, despite the first season's frost. But we are missing Tigerpaw, our new apprentice." Shocked gasps met his words, and he stepped back, dipping his head to Onestar.

"We are missing Breezepaw and Heatherpaw," Onestar mewed. "We are devestated by our loss." He stepped back, glancing at Mistystar. "Pebblepaw is gone," the blue-grey she-cat meowed. "The fish are plenty in the river."

Firestar waited patiently, and he flicked his tail as he stepped forward. "We are missing Thornpaw, Jaypaw, Leopardpaw, Hollypaw, and Lionpaw. Isn't it strange, Clans, that all the apprentices have gone absent? Do you think this means something?"

Onestar snorted. "What? Do you think they went to the mountains or something?" Firestar flicked his ears. "There's no other place for them to go. Do you think we should send a patrol to stop them?"

Blackstar got to his feet. "For once, Firestar, I agree with you," he mewed. Firestar lashed his tail. "Alright. Mistystar, Onestar, do you agree?"

Mistystar mewed, "Yes. I agree."

Onestar said, "Alright, Firestar. But don't try anything."

_**-f-i-r-e-**_

**(A/N: Back to Leopardpaw's POV)**

I writhed in surprise, yowling in rage as the tom held me down, digging his claws into my chest. "You will regret ever coming here," the tom sneered. Then he leaned down, his long fangs preparing to sink deep into the soft skin of my throat...

Until I quickly jerked my head. Energy flooded through me as I slashed open the cat's nose and jumped onto Breezepaw's attacker, digging my claws into his broad back.

He howled in pain and bucked, and I gave Breezepaw a chance to nip his attacker and flee. I chased after him, my ears flattened against my skull as the roars of rage burned behind me.

"I think we lost them," I panted as we rested near one of the silver boulders. Breezepaw looked up, his ears lowered. Blood dripped from a wound on his chest, and a scratch over his eye bled and swiftly raced down his face.

The fur on my shoulders and neck were missing, and scratches slashed over my neck and back. I could feel a nick in my ear, blood caking the vee shape. "Hopefully Jaypaw will find some herbs," I grunted.

"Yeah," Breezepaw sighed. "I'm sorry for bringing you here." I looked up. "It's fine. To be honest, you were more brave then me!"

Breezepaw laughed. "Yeah, right! I was shaking in my fur."

I huffed. "You looked ready to bit his throat out!"

"No. I felt like wailing like a kit."

Rain started to pour down, drenching our pelts and cleaning our wounds. "Lets get back to the others," Breezepaw meowed and led me down the rocky path.

_**-b-r-e-e-z-e**_

We reached the end of the Twoleg place when the sun was setting, casting a scarlet shadow over the land. I perked my ears as I saw the large tree outlined against the pink sky. The Thunderpath was quiet as we sniffed it carefully.

"When I say go," Breezepaw whispered to me, "go."

I flattened myself to the ground as a giant red monster roared by, splashing more mud and grit on us. "Go!"

I raced after Breezepaw, the rough black stone of the Thunderpath scraping my already raw pads. The grass felt soft underneath my feet, and I sighed. We followed the sandy trail up the hill, and the scent of cats flooded my nostrils.

I could hear them talking, "...long do you think they've been gone?" Lionpaw was saying. I could hear Hollypaw's scornful meow. "I say we leave them here and keep going!" Heatherpaw let out a hiss. "Why would I go back to WindClan without Breezepaw? Onestar would strip my fur off and toss me onto the fresh-kill pile!"

I grinned at Breezepaw, who was already smiling. "Lets go before they leave us," I giggled, and trotted up the hill. "We're here," I announced.

The other cats turned and peered at us, their eyes wide. "Breezepaw!" Heatherpaw cried, and raced over to the black tom and pressed her nose against his. Breezepaw let out a tiny purr, but looked at me out of the corner of his eyes and rolled his amber eyes.

"Good job on scaring us out of our fur," Hollypaw growled, glaring at me. Thornpaw padded over, his golden tail high. I sighed silently. What did _he _have to say? More dung about me and Breezepaw?

"We were worried," he meowed. "Well, _I _was worried." My heart thudded against my chest. "When did _you _care about me?" I hissed, lashing my tail. Thornpaw blinked. "Sorry. It's just that, we _had _to wait for you. Hollypaw was really impatient, and she was talking about leaving you."

I curled my lip. I _heard _what Hollypaw had said about me. The ThunderClan apprentice really hated me.

"Alright, whatever." I shoved past Thornpaw and sat underneath the tree, my wet pelt sticking against my skin.

"Do you want me to scout ahead?" Lionpaw asked Hollypaw, who was grooming herself. "Yeah, whatever," Hollypaw replied. "Take one or two cats with you."

Lionpaw flicked his ear. "Alright... you, Heatherpaw, and... Leopardpaw?" My ears perked up as he said my name. Hollypaw shot a furious glare at me. "Surely you only need me and Leopardpaw?" she asked.

I snorted. She was only saying this since she knew that Heatherpaw and Lionpaw were very friendly towards each other.

"No, we might run into a enemy patrol," Lionpaw teased. Hollypaw rolled her eyes and gave her brother a friendly shove. "Alright! Lets go."

I got up and stretched. Lionpaw and Heatherpaw were already bounding out from under the cover of the tree and into the rain. Hollypaw had smoothed down the fur on her side and was padding after the two cats.

"Promise me you'll be careful?" Breezepaw murmured as he shoved his nose into my shoulder affectionatly. I gave his ear a quick lick. "I promise. Just promise _me _you won't go to the Twolegplace again?" I mewed teasingly.

He purred. "I promise." I gave his nose another lick before trotting down the hill. Hollypaw was at my side, her lips drawn back and ears flattened.

"I saw what you did," she hissed. I flicked my ear. "Did what?"

"Breezepaw. I know you like him."

I growled. "What's wrong with you? We're just _friends._"

Hollypaw snorted. "Yeah right! Just be careful where your loyalties lie." Then she bounded forward, shoving herself in between Lionpaw and Heatherpaw, her tail in the air, nose high.

My pelt was bristling with anger. _So, she doubts my loyalty? _I turned my head and glared at the tree which was disappearing as we got farther and farther away. _I'll show her!_

_**-h-o-l-l-y**_

**WHOOO! BreezeXLeopard FTW! XD What do you guys think? :3**


	10. Chapter 10: The Bog (Part 1)

_**Summary: **__He purred. "I promise." I gave his nose another lick before trotting down the hill. Hollypaw was at my side, her lips drawn back and ears flattened._

_"I saw what you did," she hissed. I flicked my ear. "Did what?"_

_"Breezepaw. I know you like him."_

_I growled. "What's wrong with you? We're just friends."_

_Hollypaw snorted. "Yeah right! Just be careful where your loyalties lie." Then she bounded forward, shoving herself in between Lionpaw and Heatherpaw, her tail in the air, nose high._

_My pelt was bristling with anger. So, she doubts my loyalty? I turned my head and glared at the tree which was disappearing as we got farther and farther away. I'll show her!_

_**-b-r-e-e-z-e**_

_It had been a few hours since we started our journey. _The grass was tall, and the wind streaked through the tall stalks of lush green grass. Heatherpaw had dropped back and padded beside me, her whiskers twitching.

"So, you and Breezepaw are friends?" she asked me, the tip of her tail twitching. "Yeah," I said. "Friends."  
"Stay away from him," Heatherpaw told me. "He already has enough problems in WindClan. No cat trusts him- I hear them talking about him, and he is a two rabbit-lengths away, and they don't even care. He doesn't need _you _to prove his disloyalty."

I pricked my ears. I had heard that Heatherpaw was an obsessive fleabag with fox-dung for brains, but I had never heard this side of her before.

"You shouldn't be so close to him," she went on, her ears twitching. "Hollypaw is already been calling you a traitor. She talks about you, too. And she is just a _idiot _when it comes to Lionpaw. She's always complaining about what a better warrior Lionpaw would be if he hadn't met me in the tunnels."

I snickered. "So she has a grudge against you too?"

"Yep," Heatherpaw said. I laughed. "Did she call you a good for nothing dung eating traitor?" Heatherpaw asked.

I shook my head. "No, but she did call me a fox-heart and told me that I was a traitor."

Heatherpaw shook her head. "What did Firestar do? Tell her that she could call every apprentice in the Clan-"

"Wait!" Lionpaw yowled. I froze. The grass thinned out, revealing bare land. There was a scoop in the land, and down below was a seeping river that was dark brown with branches and rocks bobbing against the surface.

"How are we going to cross that?" Hollypaw demanded, her green eyes searching the weird river. Tufts of grass were on the side of the river, water lapping over the brown grass. "What _is _that?" Heatherpaw meowed.

"It's a bog," I said. "Leopardpaw," Lionpaw meowed, "go and get the others. We'll wait here." I nodded and turned away, streaking through the sharp grass, and into the sea of tall stalks of grass.

_**-h-e-a-t-h-e-r**_

I reached the tree during sunset. The sky was orange-pink, and the trees were beginning to outline against the scarlet sky. "Breezepaw!" I yowled. "Thornpaw! Lets go!"

Four heads popped over the hill, and I watched anxiously from below. "What is it?" Thornpaw called. "We found a bog," I yowled. "We're going to camp near it for the night."

Tigerpaw flattened his ears. "Whats a bog?"

"That doesn't _matter!_" I shouted. "Get down here!" Three shapes bounded down the hill: Pebblepaw, Thornpaw, and Tigerpaw.

"Where is Breezepaw?" I commanded as Tigerpaw skidded to a stop in front of me. "I don't know. He had something he was bringing down."

I sighed. "Start following my scent trail." Tigerpaw nodded, and Thornpaw and Pebblepaw bounded after the ShadowClan apprentice.

Eventually, Breezepaw trotted down the hill, carrying something. "I got you a rabbit," he meowed, dropping it. I sniffed it.

"It's a rabbit!" I meowed. "Yep," Breezepaw said, rubbing my nose. "I'll carry it."

He leaned down and picked it up, and then we bounded into the darkening day.

_**-t-i-g-e-r**_

We reached the bog when the moon was rising. The sky was dark, and it was starting to rain again. The scents were growing stale, but I kept following it, Breezepaw on my heels, the rabbit still in his jaws.

"Leopardpaw!" A familiar voice filled my ears. I looked up- the grass had shortened out, and I saw the familiar shapes and faces of the cats.

"So you're actually here," Hollypaw grumbled, looking up at me, her pely barely visible. "Yep," I meowed, collapsing on my side. Breezepaw dropped the rabbit beside me. "Eat," he urged.

I took a few bites, then shoved it away towards the others. The rabbit was gone in a few heartbeats. I sighed and fell asleep, my belly full.

_**-l-e-o-p-a-r-d**_

**Please review. :3 Really short... sorry.**


	11. Chapter 11: The Bog (Part 2)

_**Summary: **__We reached the bog when the moon was rising. The sky was dark, and it was starting to rain again. The scents were growing stale, but I kept following it, Breezepaw on my heels, the rabbit still in his jaws._

_"Leopardpaw!" A familiar voice filled my ears. I looked up- the grass had shortened out, and I saw the familiar shapes and faces of the cats._

_"So you're actually here," Hollypaw grumbled, looking up at me, her pely barely visible. "Yep," I meowed, collapsing on my side. Breezepaw dropped the rabbit beside me. "Eat," he urged._

_I took a few bites, then shoved it away towards the others. The rabbit was gone in a few heartbeats. I sighed and fell asleep, my belly full._

** Robinpaw: Haha, it's okay. But don't worry, Ashfur is just bugging you guys... hinthint C:**

** Cinderstar377: Yay! I thought I was the only one who saw past Breezepaw's hostility in the books. x3 So now I am glad that you like him too :DD**

**Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! Thank you for all your support, ideas, and kind words. (: Btw, this is now book one in a series ^^**

**Breeze: Just start the story already! D:**

**Leopard: Stop being so mean :(**

**Breeze: Ok... .-.**

**Holly: Don't push your luck, Leopard :C**

**Leopard: Ok whatever.**

**Breeze: Uhhh... Squiort, start the story already.**

_**-t-i-g-e-r**_

_"Leopardpaw, get up." _I groaned and sat up, blinking sleep out of my eyes. The sun was climbing up the horizion, shining a pale orange light over the trees and turning the bog into a brown-orange.

I sighed and looked at Breezepaw, who had just nuged the side of my cheek with his nose gently. "Thanks." I gave his nose a quick lick.

"Lionpaw and Heatherpaw went down to find a place to cross the bog," Breezepaw reported, sitting down in front of me and wrapping his tail around his paws. "Tigerpaw, Pebblepaw, and Hollypaw went hunting." He flashed his teeth at me. "So it's just you and me."

I twitched my tail. Heatherpaw's words kept echoing in my mind. Her blue eyes kept burning in my head, staring deep into me, destroying my from the inside.

"I was hoping that I could get some more sleep," I admitted, shuffling my feet against the damp ground. "Okay," Breezepaw meowed wistfully. "I'll go catch you a rabbit." He bounded away into the tall grass.

I let my shoulders slump. I wanted to sprawl next to Breezepaw and share tongues with him. "You did a wise thing." I turned my head sharply to see Heatherpaw and Hollypaw emerge from the grass, their eyes glittering.

"But she didn't end it with Breezepaw yet," Hollypaw protested, jerking her head towards the stalks where the black apprentice had disappeared into.

"Yes," Heatherpaw mewed, dipping her head to the green-eyed apprentice. Then she turned to me. "That is next. Tell Breezepaw that it's over."

I flicked my tail in dismay. Why should _they _have to tell me what to do? "Why should I?" I snarled, my hackles lifting. I had barely finished my sentence, Hollypaw had leaped at me, claws unsheathed.

I hissed as her claws dug into my shoulders. "You'll do as I say," she snarled in my ear. "Now, you'll break it off with Breezepaw!" She released me, and Istumbled away, blood dripping fom my shoulders.

"Now go find him!" Heatherpaw ordered, and I stumbled away.

_**-h-o-l-l-y**_

I found Breezepaw munching on a scrawny mouse. He looked up, and his gaze darkened. "Hello," he growled.

"Hi," I murmured. "What do you want?" he asked gruffly. I sighed. I wished I didn't have to say this, but I could feel Heatherpaw and Hollypaw's green and blue gaze burning into my pelt.

"I... I think we shouldn't see each other," I murmured. Breezepaw hissed. "I knew it!" He slammed his paw on the thin mouse. "Heatherpaw! She is _still _jealous."

I whimpered. "Breezepaw... I'm sorry." Breezepaw flicked his tail. "It's alright. I won't let this stop us from being together." He looked up, his amber eyes filled with sorrow. "I really like you, Leopardpaw. I don't want Hollypaw and Heatherpaw to get in the way of us."

My heart soared. _Yes! _He understands!

I quickly nodded. Breezepaw purred and licked my nose. "Okay! See you later." He scraped dirt over the half-eaten mouse and bounded away. I sighed with relief and padded off into the gorse.

_**-b-r-e-e-z-e**_

The others still hadn't returned from their hunting. I was grooming dust and dirt from my pelt when Lionpaw arrived. A vole hang from his jaws. He dropped it at my paws. "Here," he ordered. "Eat."

He perked his ears as the grass around us shivered, and Heatherpaw and Hollypaw stepped out. They both carried prey. Lionpaw flicked his tail. "Where did you go?" he asked Heatherpaw. "I turned around and didn't see you."

Heatherpaw twitched her whiskers. "I went hunting, then I found Hollypaw and hunted with her."

Lionpaw let out a deep sigh, then settled down and devoured the vole in a few ravenous bites.

I watched Breezepaw. He was watching me, too, with his head lowered and a longing in his amber eyes.

I looked away, sadness in my belly. Lionpaw looked up when Tigerpaw and Pebblepaw padded out of the gorse, their pelts prickling. "We found a way!" panted Tigerpaw. Lionpaw's ears perked. "You went without me?" He sounded outraged and offended. "What if we left without you?"

Pebblepaw's left ear twitched. "You're not the leader." Lionpaw's pelt fluffed out. "I never said I was!"

I shoved past Lionpaw and faced Pebblepaw. "Show us the way," I commanded. Pebblepaw nodded and trotted away. Tigerpaw shot after him. Heatherpaw and Hollypaw abandoned their supper, even though it was only there was only a scrap of meat left on the rabbit.

Lionpaw and Thornpaw padded after the two she-cats, their heads lowered and they were muttering to each other. Breezepaw trotted after them, but not before licking my nose. I smiled and ran after him.

We had to work out.

We _had _to.

_**-p-e-b-b-l-e**_

I could scent the bog. It smelled sour and sharp, and took over my senses. I couldn't see my travelmates as we traveled through the spiky grass, but I was reasurred as I saw Tigerpaw's striped tabby tail waving above the tall grass.

"We're here." I fought through the grass as I saw the cats gathered around a fallen tree, which stretched from where they stood from across the gorge and at the other side. "We have to cross _this?_"

Heatherpaw was disgusted, her snout wrinkled and ears layed back. Hollypaw copied her, bringing back her lips and holding her ears to the back of her skull. "Yeah! I'm not crossing that fallen sapling!"

Tigerpaw laughed. "Don't worry! Pebblepaw and I tested it before we came back."

Lionpaw, once again, was outraged. "What if one of you fell into the bog?" he demanded. "Nobody would've been able to find you until your body washed ashore StarClan knows where!"

But the golden tom was ignored as Breezepaw leaped onto the bridge and began to parade across, his head and tail high. Thornpaw scrambled after him, followed by Tigerpaw, Lionpaw and Pebblepaw, and, hesitantly, Heatherpaw and Hollypaw.

I kept to the back, even though I was walking behind the two she-cats who were connected by a cobweb. I could hear the bog below, making digusting slapping and squishing sounds as it hungrily smacked the bay and threw its angry waves with frustration at the gorge walls.

Suddenly, Hollypaw stopped. I crashed into her back, and, with a wail of fear, I began to fall. _"Leopardpaw!" _Breezepaw screamed. But as he tried to run to help, he nearly knocked off Lionpaw and Tigerpaw, who both snarled at him.

I yelped in terror as my claws slipped from the tree and I plummeted down, and landed with a loud _splash _in the bog.

_**-t-i-g-e-r**_

**Uh oh... Leopardpaw fell in! Anyway, review. ;3**


	12. Chapter 12: Chosen

**Summary: **_Suddenly, Hollypaw stopped. I crashed into her back, and, with a wail of fear, I began to fall. _"Leopardpaw!" _Breezepaw screamed. But as he tried to run to help, he nearly knocked off Lionpaw and Tigerpaw, who both snarled at him._

_I yelped in terror as my claws slipped from the tree and I plummeted down, and landed with a loud splash in the bog._

_**-b-r-e-e-z-e**_

**(Ashfur's POV)**

_I lifted my head up sleepily as I felt a paw prodding my side. _I gave a light smile as I looked into Rainwhisker's blue eyes. But as I smiled, the grey tom looked away sheepishly. "Ummm... Squirrelflight needs you for a patrol. Sootfur, Honeypaw, and Berrynose are with her."

I gave a nod before brushing past him. I felt him stiffen, but I didn't care. This was all going according to plan: the whole Clan thinks I like toms, and Squirrelflight will try to get me back. That's right: I'm not over Squirrelflight! I'll never stop fighting for her, and when I do, it'll be when StarClan calls me.

As I padded out of the warriors den, I was met with the regular hostile stares. But I strolled towards Squirrelflight, who was munching on a squirrel. Honeypaw, Berrynose, and Sootfur were waiting beside her.

Sootfur nodded a greeting, but Berrynose deliberately turned his head away. Honeypaw copied him, her nose high, and she let out a coy snort. Squirreflight's eyes brightened as she caught sight of me.

"Go on without me," she ordered. Berrynose bounded away without hesitation, and Honeypaw ran after him. Sootfur looked at me. "See you," was all he said, and he walked after his Clanmates.

"What is it, Squirrelflight?" I asked calmly as we padded through the forest. "I want you back, Ashfur," the ginger she-cat meowed. "Really?" I asked. I sprawled on the ground and crossed my paws and lifted my eyebrows. "Yes," she said desperatly. "I love you, Ashfur. Please... love me too."

I held back a amused snort. "I'll think about it." I got to my feet and strolled away.

_**-a-s-h**_

"What is it, Firestar?" I asked as I padded up to him. Beside him was Brambleclaw, along with Lionblaze, Berrynose, and Hazeltail. "I want you to go on the journey to fetch the apprentices," Firestar said.

Berrynose bristled. _"What? _That tom-lover? Are you insane, Firestar?" Brambleclaw cuffed the younger warrior over the ear, his lips pulled back in an annoyed snarl. I was surprised at the deputy's actions; didn't he _hate _me?

"Brambleclaw, take them." He waved his tail before trotting away. "Alright, you lot," Brambleclaw grunted, heaving himself to his paws and beginning to saunter away. "Lets go."

Berrynose stuck his nose in the air and strolled after him, while Lionblaze and Hazeltail padded after. I nodded a goodbye to Leafpool, who was sitting in the entrance to her den, looking forlorn. She nodded back.

I ran through the forest, feeling excited. I hadn't felt this way since I was an apprentice - ever since I became a warrior, it was only pain and suffering. I was glad to be going on this journey. I felt young again.

_**-b-e-r-r-y**_

**Okay, very short chapter. This is basically a short one to make up for a few reviews.**


	13. Chapter 13: After Them

_**Summary: **__I ran through the forest, feeling excited. I hadn't felt this way since I was an apprentice - ever since I became a warrior, it was only pain and suffering. I was glad to be going on this journey. I felt young again._

_**-l-e-o-p-a-r-d**_

**(Leopard's POV)**

_I gasped and strained against the current, _my legs thrashing and my whole body weighing what seemed a ton. I could see my travelmates standing on the log, pacing back and forth. Their shapes seemed to waver, and my heart thudded painfully against my chest. I struggled to stay upright, and I took in a gasp of air as the current shoved me down again.

The world around me seemed to go darker, and I could see tiny specks the color of the sun floating around me. It grew harder to breath, and a sudden wave of icy calm washed over me.

_Is this what it's like to die?_

"No."

I turned my head, and saw Spottedleaf. She was floating about three tail-lengths away, and her outline was glowing white. Her eyes were orbs of amber, resting on me peacefully. "No. You are not going to die," she mewed in her soft, sweet voice.

_Then what's going on? _I asked, my heart speeding up as it tried to keep blood flowing through me. Spottedleaf blinked her amber eyes, then sighed. "You are in the middle."  
_The middle of...?_

"Life. You are in the middle of life."

_What does that mean?_

"It means that you are dying, yet StarClan is struggling to revive you." As she spoke, the specks of gold expanded, and turned into the shapes of cats. Their eyes were large and round, and as I struggled to see who the cats were, they began to close in on me. Pain throbbed through me, and I managed to stare at the cats. Their paws were clinging onto me, and I was surprised and scared as some kind of liquid flooded from their claws and wrapped around me. My sight was suddenly covered by a wall. It was large, and it was a color that I couldn't describe.

"You have been given another life, Leopardpaw." I heard Spottedleaf's voice murmur into my ear. "Use it wisely."

_**-s-p-o-t-t-e-d**_

**(Switch to Ashfur's POV)**

I kept to the back of the patrol, offended and a little annoyed. Mainly since Lionblaze made me, and Hazeltail and Berrynose had agreed. Brambleclaw hadn't said anything, just glared at me.

We had reached the end of the terrotories, and as we left the shelter of the trees, a cold wind sliced through my fur, and I shivered. I had no cat to press close to, no cat to talk to...

"Wait!"

We turned our heads curiously to see Leafpool bounding towards us. Racing after her was Squirrelflight, her ginger fur being blown back in the wind, and her fluffy tail fluffed out twice its size. She appeared to be chasing Leafpool, since Leafpool kept glancing behind her.

"What do you want?" Brambleclaw demanded, shouldering past Hazeltail and Lionblaze. "I want to come with you," Leafpool panted. "What?" Brambleclaw yowled. "You're a medicine cat, for StarClan's sake! We already have _enough _cats coming-"  
"I'm a _former _medicine cat," hissed Leafpool. "And I am a warrior now." She looked past Brambleclaw and nodded towards me. "I'm pretty sure that climbing a pile of rocks won't be too hard."

Brambleclaw grunted. "Fine." He looked past Leafpool and at Squirrelflight, who had caught up. "Why is _she _here?"  
Leafpool lowered her head. "She followed me."

Squirreflight spat angrily. "You've let me go on the journey to find Midnight. But I'm not letting you cross the mountains!"  
Leafpool snarled in her sister's face. "I'm not a kit! Besides, you don't have to act like everything I do is your business."

The two sisters kept bickering until Brambleclaw swung his tail into Squirreflight's mouth and shoved his paw into Leafpool's, and the two cats shut up. "Quiet!" he snapped. "Leafpool, you can come with us." He removed his paw from her mouth and padded away, and flicked his tail for the patrol to follow.

Leafpool came to my side, then bumped her shoulder against mine. "I couldn't let you travel alone," she mewed to me. I laughed and licked her cheek. "What am I, a kit?" I teased. "Yes," Leafpool replied. "Yes you are."

We both laughed and joked around until Lionblaze snapped at us to shut up. I heard a cat clear its throut behind us, and Leafpool and I turned our heads to see Squirrelflight walking slowly behind us, her ears flattened a little.

"I... I wanted to come," she muttered, embarresed. "Why not?" I said. Leafpool snorted and trotted after the others. I shrugged and followed her.

It wasn't long when I realized that we weren't really traveling as a patrol. Brambleclaw and Berrynose were traveling four tail-lengths away, and Lionblaze and Hazeltail were about a tail-lengths behind. Leafpool, Squirrelflight, and me were the fartherst behind, and we raced after them.

"This is gonna take a while," I muttered as I sniffed at the fainting scents of my Clanmates. "Agreed," Leafpool responded as Squirrelflight ran after the others. "Agreed."

_**-l-e-a-f**_


	14. Chapter 14: In My Mind

_**Summary: **__"This is gonna take a while," I muttered as I sniffed at the fainting scents of my Clanmates. "Agreed," Leafpool responded as Squirrelflight ran after the others. "Agreed."_

_The world around me seemed to go darker, and I could see tiny specks the color of the sun floating around me. It grew harder to breath, and a sudden wave of icy calm washed over me._

**Sorry for not updating. I've been super busy and stuff.**

_**-l-e-o-p-a-r-d**_

_I had floated down the bog, _and as I lifted my head, I could see the faint outline of shore. I gasped and struggled to keep my head upright. I was drowning underneath both the water _and _the strange things that had occured to me when I had went down under. Another life? What did Spottedleaf _mean? _Did she mean that I could never die? Or that whenever I was _about _to die, StarClan would come and do that weird paw thing?

I gasped once more as the current shoved me underneath the water again, and I was forced to swallow another mouthful of the foul tasting water. This kept happening until my belly felt as if I had eaten a whole Clan of rabbits, and more water was forcing itself into my muzzle, and I struggled to keep the water that was threatening to come up down.

Eventually, I felt my paws strike something hard. Blindly, I gripped the hard thing with my claws and drug myself up onto it. I lay on the sand, panting and vomiting. I vomited some more before panting, and then I vomited so much that I knew the bitter taste would stay in my mouth for at least a moon.

"Leopardpaw!"

I looked up, exhausted, to see Breezepaw and the others racing towards me. As soon as they reached me, Breezepaw covered my ears with licks.

"We were so worried about you," Breezepaw said between licks. "I thought you were dead!"

"Yeah," Lionpaw said, approaching us. Then he flattened his ears and glared at Tigerpaw and Pebblepaw, who were keeping back, shuffling their paws.

"You almost killed Leopardpaw!" Lionpaw yowled, outraged. "You were so selfish! I know you tested it, but there are a lot of us!"

"It's not their fault," I managed to say. I glared through half-lidded eyes as Heatherpaw and Hollypaw, who were whispering to each other. "It's _theirs!" _I glared angrily at the two she-cats, who immediatly stopped talking and stared at me.

"It's not my fault," Hollypaw snarled, taking a threatening step forward. I didn't respond, just struggled to my paws and tried to wobble towards the two cats, but Jaypaw stopped me. "Forget them," the blue-grey tom murmured.

I glared at Jaypaw, then sighed and collapsed to the ground, tired. Lionpaw began to speak. "We might as well stay here for the night," he admitted grudgingly. Thornpaw and Crowpaw helped me walk, and we managed to find a small den.

It was so small that we ended up with paws and tails up our ears and noses, and I probably will be tasting vomit _and _fur for a whole moon.

I sighed and fell asleep.

_**-l-i-o-n**_

I woke up to voices. "...should stay here for a while!" Crowpaw was yowling. "She needs her rest!"

"We need to be by the mountains by nightfall!" That was Lionpaw. "We can't stay here forever."

"At least a moon," Crowpaw insisted stubbornly.

"No," Jaypaw snapped. "We have to keep moving. The Tribe needs us, and I bet you five foxes that Firestar knows we're gone and he's already sent half the Clan to stop us."

This time, I struggled to my paws and stomped outside. "So, you're making decisions about me?" I snarled.

Crowpaw glanced at me. "No," he said. "I'm just trying to do what's the best for you."  
"Best for me?" I repeated coldly. "Who are you- my _mother? _I don't need any cat to take care of me! Lionpaw," I added, glancing at the golden tabby, "I'll be fine. We can travel to the mountains."

Lionpaw shuffled his paws. Now that he had gotten what he wanted, he wasn't so sure that he actually _wanted _it. He just wanted to make Crowpaw shut up...

"It's fine," I said as Lionpaw opened his mouth to speak. Lionpaw glanced at me, slightly confused. "Alright," he said. "Heatherpaw, Hollypaw, Tigerpaw, and Pebblepaw are still asleep."

"I'll wake them up," Thornpaw offered, and instantly darted inside the den.

How did I know what Lionpaw was going to say? My ears pricked as I heard a tiny voice inside my head. _Crowpaw is about to say something rude about Lionpaw, _the voice said bitterly. _Stop him._

My blue gaze was instantly on Crowpaw, and, sure enough, Crowpaw was opening his mouth to snap something at Lionpaw.

"There's no need to be rude to Lionpaw," I said cooly. "It's not his fault that he knows me better than you." Crowpaw glared at me before stalking off.

Tigerpaw and Pebblepaw came out of the den with Thornpaw's head shoving them roughly. "Come on," he said impatiently. "We're about to go."

"I don't want to go," Tigerpaw complained. "I'm _tired._"

I glared at him. _He's about to whine some more! _the tiny voice screamed. _Stop him!_

"Stop whining," I snapped. _He was up all night trying talking to Pebblepaw. _"It's nobody's fault but yours that you were up all night chatting with your partner in crime!"

My blue gaze was stabbing Pebblepaw, who glared at Tigerpaw.

Jaypaw rolled his blue eyes and began to lead the way. We had decided to follow the bog to its source and see if we could cross from there.

_What's your name, anyway? _I asked the tiny voice.

_My name is Nightpaw, _the voice replied. _I'm here to help you._

_Help me with what?_

_Save the Clans._

_What do you mean, 'save the Clans?"_

_They're in danger._

_What do you mean?_

Nightpaw sighed. _Because of your stupid friend, Jaypaw. He's leading you cats to the mountains. What you don't know is that the Tribe is having some tough times, and your presence is going to make it even worse._

_Tough times..._

_Prey is being stolen, borders are being tight..._

_You mean there's another tribe in the mountains?_

_Sort of. These rouges have joined the Tribe, but they're secretly there to spy for their own Tribe._

_And the tribe doesn't think its odd that the loners joined during the troubles?_

_No. Just because they live in the mountains doesn't mean that they have to be as _stupid _as one. If I were you, I'd smack that Stoneteller right over the head with a rock!_

I purred to myself, which caused Thornpaw and Crowpaw to glance at me curiously.

_What's my power anyway, Nightpaw?_

_You have the power of mind, Leopardpaw._

_Isn't that Jaypaw's power?_

_He can read minds. But you... you are much more powerful. You can't just read minds, but you can take over cat's bodies. You can even levitate objects, and look into the past. You can even speak to cats by connecting your minds._

I thought these powers were pretty cool, but... _Look into the past? Isn't that.. dangerous?_

_If you don't know what you're doing. But you have me, so I'll be able to help you._

I chatted with Nightpaw for a while. I learned her past, and why and how she was helping me. I didn't even notice that the sun was slowly falling from the sky, and the setting sun was casting a dark orange shadow over the horizion, and the black trees outlined against the sky.

"Leopardpaw?" I glanced at Crowpaw, slightly annoyed. Nightpaw had just been telling me about a time when she was in another life and how she had fought off a whole Clan of foxes.

"What?" I asked.

"Um... we're camping here for the night. Where are _you _going?"

I noticed that my front paw was slightly lifted, as if I was going to take another step. I flattened my ears, embarresed as I realized that every cat's eyes were laid on me. "I... thought we were still going?" I couldn't come up with a quick enough lie. Espically since Crowpaw had interrupted me, I had temporarily lost connection with Nightpaw.

"We're going to sleep," Hollypaw called coldly from her spot beside Heatherpaw, and the two she-cats snickered rudely.

Annoyed, I stomped into the large bush and managed to find a warm spot near the back. Crowpaw was keeping watch, his back to the small den.

_How rude. _Finally, Nightpaw's voice echoed so softly in the back of my mind I thought that I had only thought of it.

_Nightpaw! You're back!_

_Of course. When your little friend interrupted us, I couldn't reach you._

_Will that happen all the time?_

_Sometimes. Only if you're not very focused on me._

_But I was! _I protested to her. _I was so focused, I would've kept walking until I reached the sundrown place._

_Not hard enough, _Nightpaw replied coldly. _Listen, kit. If you're going to learn from me, you're going to have to _focus. _Now, goodnight. All this connection stuff is starting to get me tired._

_Are you a real cat, Nightpaw?_

Nightpaw didn't reply for a while, and I started to get worried. _Hello?_

_No, _Nightpaw replied quietly. _I'm not. I'm just a thought, or a memory._

_Is it hard, not having a body?_

Nightpaw didn't reply, even though I kept trying to talk to her. Eventually, I fell asleep, frustrated.

_**-n-i-g-h-t**_

**WHOOOO. NIGHTPAW BELONGS TO ME. I got the mind-thing from Eragon (very nice book, take a look at it) and some other story that I wrote.**

**REVIEW 8D**


	15. Chapter 15: Trackers

**lol I just realized that I listed Lionblaze as one of the cats to go on the journey! Replacing that cat with Birchfall.**

_**-l-e-o-p-a-r-d**_

_Leopardpaw!_

_I groaned as _Nightpaw's voice boomed in my head. I was extremely tired and pawed at my ears, annoyed. _What is it, Nightpaw? _I asked, lifting up my head.

_You need to wake up! _Nightpaw yelled.

_Why?_

_There's danger! _Nightpaw's voice slowly grew louder, and began to move in my mind as if she was a cat. I covered my head with my paws as my head pounded.

_Stop that!_

_No! _Nightpaw screamed. _You idiot! Wake up _now!

I got to my paws, and a small bead of fear shoved its way into my chest. How did Nightpaw know there was trouble? And how did she... _pound _my head?

_I'll tell you how I did that, _Nightpaw said. _I am not just a thought anymore, Leopardpaw. I am a part of you. I am in your mind forever._

"How?" I whispered. The words escaped my lips and flew into the cold dawn air, and remained unanswered- to the normal, that is.

_StarClan sent me, _Nightpaw responded.

_Where are you from?_

_The time before._

_The time before...?_

Nightpaw didn't answer. I kept trying to contact her, but she refused to answer. It seemed that she had shut me out, so I gave up. I began to wonder _why _Nightpaw had yelled at me to wake up.

Maybe she was bored and just wanted me to wake up.

_That's not true, _Nightpaw's voice suddenly snapped. I jumped, since her voice sounded as if she was right beside me, and her teeth seemed to snap right beside my ear.

_Then why did you wake me up? _I demanded.

Nightpaw didn't answer. Then images suddenly flooded my brain. I yowled, since the images were bright and disoriented.

Blood.

Claws.

Rocks.

Cats.

Crowpaw...

"Leopardpaw?"

That was Thornpaw. His head peeked out of the den, and his yellow gaze was on me. I panted, my head low and my claws digging into the soft soil beneath my paws.

"I'm fine," I managed to say. I lifted my head, the images still flashing in my mind. "When... when are we leaving?"

Thornpaw turned his head to peer into the den. I spotted Lionpaw's large golden shape curled up beside Jaypaw, their pelts rising and falling in usion.

"I don't know," Thornpaw said. As he spoke, Lionpaw's head suddenly lifted, his ears pricked and amber eyes wide.

"Oh." Was all Lionpaw uttered. He struggled to his paws, his thick fur messy with sleep. "Jaypaw and I decided that we're going to leave soon."

"And travel on an empty stomach?" That was Hollypaw. She came out of the den with Heatherpaw following, yawning.

"We'll hunt on the way," Lionpaw snapped. "Now wake up Jaypaw, Pebblepaw, Crowpaw and Tigerpaw."

Heatherpaw sniffed before turning into the den sharply. Hollypaw glared at me, her leaf-green gaze burning into my blue eyes.

"Why were you screaming?" she asked curtly.

_Don't tell her anything, _Nightpaw growled at me.

_And why should I listen to you?_

_Because I'm here to help you._

_Help me? _I yelled, outraged. _You nearly blinded me!_

_That was an accident, _Nightpaw replied, her voice not wavering. _I didn't mean to be so abrupt. I couldn't control it._

_You should learn how to control it. You-_

"See?" Hollypaw suddenly said. "I told you she was scared." Hollypaw was looking at Lionpaw, a look of scorn over her face. "We should've never brought her."

"I'm not scared!" I yelled, my claws digging into the ground. "I... just saw something."

"Saw what?"

_You thought you saw another cat._

"I thought I saw another cat..."

_So you were trying to alarm the others._

"So I was going to alarm you."

Hollypaw rose her eyebrow. She must have noticed that I was pausing between my sentences, and my body tensed. But her eyebrow furrowed and her gaze hardened. "That doesn't mean you could just scream," she snapped. "You could've chased the cat."

I narrowed my eyes. "Speak sense, Hollypaw. What if I was killed? What if I got hurt? No cat knows the herbs around here."

Hollypaw began to speak, but Heatherpaw was leaving the den with the others following. Lionpaw had been watching carfully, ready to step in if the argument got out of hand. He sat up as Jaypaw, Tigerpaw, and Pebblepaw came out of the den.

"Alright," he said. "Lets get going."

Jaypaw hurried to his side, and the two set off. Heatherpaw and Hollypaw were behind them, with Pebblepaw and Tigerpaw behind them, and Thornpaw behind him.

I was immediatly at Thornpaw's side. Crowpaw approached the den, his amber eyes narrowed. They widened as they rested on me and Thornpaw, then they darkened with jealousy and hurt. His shoulders slumped and he walked behind us, his paws moving slowly over the ground.

_Why are you hurting him? _Nightpaw asked quietly. Speaking with Hollypaw had made me block the cat out.

_He deserves it._

_He was only trying to protect you._

_I don't need protecting._

_I'm here to help you. It's like protecting._

_That's different._

_It's not._

_Is too._

_You're such a kit._

_No I'm not. I just don't want Crowpaw thinking I can't make decisions without glancing at him for help._

Nightpaw was quiet for a while, then spoke carefully, _listen, Leopardpaw. You cannot make this journey alone. You are going to need help._

_What if I don't want help?_

_Then it will be the end of the Clans._

_**-c-r-o-w-**_

**(Switching back to Ashfur and the others!)**

Ashfur and the others had been traveling for a very long time. His muscles were tired, and with every single step he took, his shoulders would scream in protest. His pads were raw and his paws were sore, and he knew that he had a tick lodged on his ear, sucking away.

Brambleclaw had inisited that they kept traveling, even though they had been walking all day and all night. The sun was slowly starting to rise, and Ashfur's eyelids were heavy, and his pelt was mangled from lack of grooming.

"That's it!" Ashfur gasped. He collapsed on his side, panting. His throat was extremely dry, and his belly was snarling and growling with hunger.

"Get up!" Brambleclaw snarled, his pelt bristling.

"I can't!" Ashfur rasped. "I'm... so tired and thirsty.." He licked his dry lips as he imagined the lake, crystal clear and blue, shining, just and only for him...

"Get up, you dirt-brain," Berrynose snapped. "We don't have all day."

Ashfur flattned his ears and prepared a stinging retort for the two rude toms, but Leafpool beat him to it. "Brambleclaw, we're all tired," she meowed. "And hungry. And _thirsty. _We can't just keep wandering around. We need to rest."

At that moment, rain started to pour down. Ashfur, growing desperate, opened his mouth. Rain flooded into his jaw, and the irritated skin at the back of his throat grew wet and he sighed.

"Now, some food," Ashfur muttered, getting to his paws. The rain cleaned his mangled pelt, but he knew he would have to groom the tangles and removed the tick from his ear.

Brambleclaw led the Clan cats to a old cracked tree. Ashfur dived in first, eager to find the driest spot. Leafpool curled up beside them, and both of the cats shuddered as their cold bodies touched.

Brambleclaw offered to keep watch, even though his own eyelids were heavy. Ashfur sighed, glad that he finally got to relax his tired shoulders and muscles.

Suddenly, Birchfall yowled. All the cats shot up, their ears pricked and their claws unsheathed, prepered for battle.

"What is it?" Brambleclaw demanded, concerned.

"I smell them!" Birchfall cried, his amber eyes lit with excitement.

"The apprentices?" Ashfur asked, his tail lashing. "They were _here?"_

"StarClan must be looking after us," Hazeltail said, laughing.

Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. "Everyone, get to sleep. They were surely here, but that doesn't mean that their other scents will stay. They could be fading. Now, go to sleep." The cats obeyed, even though Ashfur lay awake, staring at the pale light of the opening of the tree.

_StarClan, _he prayed, _please... keep the apprentices safe._

_**-b-i-r-c-h**_


	16. Chapter 16: I Don't Know

_**Summary(ies): **__Nightpaw was quiet for a while, then spoke carefully, listen, Leopardpaw. You cannot make this journey alone. You are going to need help._

_What if I don't want help?_

_Then it will be the end of the Clans._

_**x**_

_Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. "Everyone, get to sleep. They were surely here, but that doesn't mean that their other scents will stay. They could be fading. Now, go to sleep." The cats obeyed, even though Ashfur lay awake, staring at the pale light of the opening of the tree._

_StarClan, he prayed, please... keep the apprentices safe._

_**-a-s-h-**_

**(Starting with Ashfur and the others instead of Leopardpaw :P)**

_Ashfur woke up with a small groan. _He struggled to his paws and shook his fur. He looked around the empty tree den, his ears pricked as he tried to remember where he was. _Oh. _He was going on a journey looking for troublesome apprentices...

His stomach suddenly yowled, and his paws buckled as he realized how hungry he was. Ashfur gasped and crawled forward desperatly, then found some bushes and vomited into them. He licked his lips at the sour taste, then collapsed on the ground, wanting to give himself up to StarClan.

As he felt himself drifting away, his Clanmates padded out of the bushes, their jaws full of prey. Leafpool padded towards me, her ears pricked.

"Are you alright?" she demanded. She dropped a rabbit at my paws as he explained what had happened. Immediately, he dug into the rabbit, ripping the flesh and chewing it greedily. He could hear the sound of slobbering and teeth gnawing eagerly on bones, and Ashfur drew his head back as Leafpool's sharp teeth tore the rabbit apart, eating the meat.

"Well," Brambleclaw said. He was obviously embarresed about the whole 'starving' ordeal. "Let's get going."

No cat said anything, just licked at the leftovers of the meat on the bones and walked after their deputy. Ashfur glanced at the tree den where the apprentices had camped. He flicked his tail once before padding after his Clan.

_**-l-e-a-f-**_

_No!_

Those were the words I kept screaming at Nightpaw.

_You have to tell Jaypaw, _Nightpaw insisted.

_How?_

_Connect your minds?_

I shuddered once. I hadn't connected minds before- I had only spoken with Nightpaw.

_Don't worry, young warrior. _Nightpaw's encouraging words hummed in my ears, and I sighed.

_How will I do it?_

_Focus on him. Try to link your minds together._

I stared at Jaypaw's tail. It was flicking back and forth, matching his long, confident strides. I felt myself become hypnotized by his swaying tail. I could hear Nightpaw's voice droning in my ears, but it was drowned out by a strange buzzing noise in my ears.

I felt myself running into a wall, and I instantly knew that I was struggling to break through Jaypaw's thought barrier. I pushed myself harder, slamming myself against the barrier, refusing to give up. I could feel the barrier starting to break, so I forced myself harder against the barrier until I felt it smash. Jaypaw's thoughts flooded into me like a river, and I struggled to not drown in the words and images that were running through my mind.

_Stop it!_

I noticed the voice as Jaypaw, and looked up to see him walking away from Lionpaw and approaching me. "I need to talk to Jaypaw," I muttered to Thornpaw and weaved away from him.

"Why did you do that?" Jaypaw growled at me.

"Nightpaw told me too," I said immediately. Then I paused. Jaypaw had no idea who Nightpaw was.

"Yes I do," Jaypaw suddenly said. "She told me about you."

I instantly felt offended. "She told _you _before she told _me?_"

Jaypaw narrowed his jay-blue eyes. "Of course," he said coldly. "Besides, we had to be sure. I knew you were the prophecied cat when you first eavesdropped on Lionpaw, Hollypaw and me."

My ears flattened. "So Hollypaw _isn't _the third cat?"

Jaypaw looked surprised, as if he hadn't expected me to ask about the black she-cat. He sighed and shuffled his paws. "Yes," he muttered. "Hollypaw isn't the third cat."

I glanced at Hollypaw. The long-legged apprentice was chatting with Heatherpaw, her tail high and green eyes bright. I couldn't imagine being broken up with my own siblings, and I instantly felt a rush of guilt. I had taken Hollypaw's spot. I had replaced her.

The guilt instantly turned to a strong rush of ectasy. I was getting my revenge on Hollypaw by being more special and better then her.

"You're not better then her," Jaypaw snapped. I jumped back, surprised. "My power is mind reading also. Just because you're more powerful then me doesn't mean you are better then _either _of us." The tom turned his back on me and paraded after Lionpaw and the others, his head high and long tail swaying again.

I rolled my eyes and padded after him.

_In love? _Nightpaw teased. I tried to block her out, but it was like trying to catch a butterfly. _Leopardpaw's in love, Leopardpaw's in love, _she chanted, leaping around in my head and batting at the sides playfully.

_Am not, _I growled to Nightpaw.

_I can hear your thoughts. Don't fight it!_

_Fight what? _I asked innocently, padding after Jaypaw and the others.

Nightpaw didn't reply, and I roamed my mind, searching for her.

_Lets forget about Jaypaw, _Nightpaw suddenly said.

_Where'd you go?_

_Your thoughts, memories, and anything else that seemed interesting._

I was outraged, but then again, my ears went hot and I was embarresed.

_There's no need to be upset. _Nightpaw's voice purred in my ears. _I was just looking for something._

_Like...?_

The cat didn't respond, and my mind was left as dark as a fox's heart. I sighed and padded after the others quickly, since I could see them disappearing into bushes.

_**-n-i-g-h-t-**_

I could see the mountains in the distance. They were large and a dark shade of grey, with clouds looming around the sharp tips.

Jaypaw and I had chatted most of the trip, and it stirred curiousity and suspiscion around my travelmates. We had to talk together in our minds, and Nightpaw had stayed quiet, but I could hear her snickering and giggling in the back of my head. Jaypaw heard her too, but he didn't say anything.

_How are we going to convince the tribe that the loners they took in are evil? _I asked. I had told Jaypaw everything, from the first time I heard Nightpaw to the time she told me about the prophecy and everything.

_I don't know, _Jaypaw said quietly. _All I know is that this is going to be harder._

_We'll need a plan._

_I know._

_We should start planning._

_I know._

_How do we start?_

_I don't know._

I struggled to stay calm. I carefully hid my feelings in the back of my mind, but then I remembered Nightpaw was back there, probably feeding on my brain or taking a nap.

_Talk about something more intersting! _Nightpaw complained.

Jaypaw ignored Nightpaw, which surprised me. He suddenly paused, his ears pricked and nose alert. _Leopadpaw, _he snapped. _They're coming._

_Who? _I demanded.

_The Clans, _he hissed. _Well, ThunderClan. They're getting closer._

Panic fluttered in my chest. _How many cats?_

_Not many. Brambleclaw, Birchfall, Hazeltail, Leafpool, Squirrelflight, and Ashfur. I'm surprised the other Clans didn't send anymore... _Jaypaw quickly sent me a image of the six ThunderClanners marching forward, heads high and eyes glittering with determination. He then hurried towards the front, yowling, "Hurry! Pick up the pace! We have to get to the mountains by nightfall."

_Is there anyway to go faster? _I asked Nightpaw desperatly.

_There is. _Nightpaw sent me an image of a rocky slope dotted with moss and bracken.

_What's that?_

_It's a shortcut._

_And what good will it do to us?_

_It's a shortcut through the mountains, _snapped my concience. _Stop being a smart-tail. If you cats don't reach the mountains by nightfall, the six ThunderClan cats will reach you by dawn tomorrow._

_What will we do when we get to the mountains? And will the tribe accept us into their ranks until we can figure out how to expose the rouges?_

Nightpaw sighed. _I have answers for your questions, Leopardpaw, but I cannot reveal them to you yet._

_What do you mean? _I shouted at Nightpaw. She refused to answer, blocking me out. I couldn't feel her in my head anymore, so I sighed and continued after my travelmates.

_**-j-a-y-**_

_Why can't I feel Nightpaw? _That was Jaypaw. We were still walking, even though our paws were sore and our bellies were rumbling. Nightpaw hadn't spoken with me for a few hours, and I was starting to get worried. Was she angry? Would she ever speak to me again?

_I don't know, _I answered lamely.

_Yes you do, _Jaypaw snapped. _You did something to drive her off. You can't just yowl at every cat who tries to help you, Leopardpaw._

_Don't you think I know that? _I snapped back. _Nightpaw already lectured me about help. I don't need you telling me again._

_Well, sometimes cats need a little reminding. _Nightpaw! Her sarcastic and bitter tone filled my ears, and I felt relieved. I looked up as Jaypaw's piercing jay-blue gaze was rested on me, and I turned my gaze straight forward again and concentrated on my conversation with Jaypaw and Nightpaw.

_Where did you go? _I demanded before Jaypaw could speak.

_I went to my quiet place._

_And where is that?_

_Somewhere deep in your mind. I go the places where you haven't gone before, Leopardpaw._

Her words sent a deep shudder through my body, yet I swept on. _You mean... I don't really know myself?_

Nightpaw didn't answer for a moment, and Jaypaw pestered her with rude words before she answered. _Quite, _was all she said, and then Nightpaw was gone, back into her quiet place.

_Now you scared her off, _I complained. I wanted to know more about the dark places in my mind. The places where I hadn't explored.

_It doesn't matter, _Jaypaw said curtly. _The sun is setting. We must hurry._

I blocked Jaypaw out, yet kept my mind open for Nightpaw if she was to venture out of her quiet place and return to speak with me.

Nightpaw's words kept floating around my head, and I pondered them. I didn't know myself completely? My heart skipped a beat as I realized what the problem was.

_I don't know who I am._

_**-n-i-g-h-t-**_


	17. Chapter 17: A Great Evil

**Summaries; **_"Well," Brambleclaw said. He was obviously embarresed about the whole 'starving' ordeal. "Let's get going."_

_No cat said anything, just licked at the leftovers of the meat on the bones and walked after their deputy. Ashfur glanced at the tree den where the apprentices had camped. He flicked his tail once before padding after his Clan._

_**-x-**_

_Nightpaw's words kept floating around my head, and I pondered them. I didn't know myself completely? My heart skipped a beat as I realized what the problem was._

_I don't know who I am._

_**-l-i-o-n**_

_Night had finally come. _The sky was dark purple, and the moon shone dully from behind a black shadow of clouds. I thanked StarClan- I mean, what if Brambleclaw and the others somehow found us? At least we could get away and hide since the moon was hidden.

"We have to keep going!" Jaypaw insisted. Lionpaw glared at his brother, his amber eyes glassy.

"Jaypaw, we can't," Lionpaw snapped. "It's too dangerous to be traveling when we can't see our paws. Beside, we're all tired and hungry."

Jaypaw rolled his eyes. "Oh, you cats are so _pathetic!_" he snarled. "You're always tired and hungry! We need to get to the mountains!" His voice was slowly rising. "It's important! _We have to save the tribe! _We have to keep going!"

Breezepaw took a step forward, his claws unsheathed and digging into the soil beneath his paws. "Who are you calling pathetic?" he snapped.

Jaypaw yowled an insult at Breezepaw, and the two were arguing. Lionpaw joined in, and then Heatherpaw, and of course, Hollypaw leaped right in. Thornpaw and Pebblepaw began to argue, and so did Tigerpaw. I watched, surprised as my travelmates howled and yowled at each other. Bitter words were said, and insults were thrown around like a ball of moss.

_What do I do? _I wondered. I could ask Nightpaw, but for some reason, she wasn't answering me. And I surely couldn't ask Jaypaw- he looked ready to claw off Breezepaw's ears.

_Stop them, _Nightpaw ordered.

_How? _I asked bitterly. _And I thought you were ignoring me._

_I wasn't ignoring you, _Nightpaw replied. _I was searching._

_For what? _Nightpaw would normally do this. Tell me that she was searching for something in my mind, and then block me out.

_Information. Things that will be important later._

Nightpaw began to give me a headache, so I blocked her out. I began to stop the argument, but Lionpaw yowled, "Stop!"

Every cat paused and stared at Lionpaw- even Breezepaw and Jaypaw.

"Is this any way to act, Jaypaw?" his brother checked with a glare at Jaypaw. The blue-eyed tom shuffled his paws.

He muttered, "No."

"We're normal cats," he snapped. "We have to eat and sleep too. Now, lets go find a den."

The cats found a hollowed out den. It had a rock above the entrance, and the ground sloped down. "And what about food?" Tigerpaw suddenly asked, a cocky edge to his voice.

"We'll eat in the morning again," Lionpaw replied, not easily fazed. He put his back to the cats. "Go to sleep. I'll keep first watch."

I was slightly enthused by Lionpaw's insistance about not giving up, and the fact that he had answers to almost every question without hesitation.

_It's Lionpaw's fault. _It was Jaypaw, pouting about the fact that he had lost the argument.

_It's no cat's fault but yours,_ snapped Nightpaw. I immediately moved to trying to shut her up, but her voice grew louder and hurt my ears. _You're pushing them too hard. So what if your Clanmates show up? At least you made it this far._

_You don't get it! _Jaypaw suddenly shouted. _The tribe needs our help! We can't just go halfway, Nightpaw. Our journey would be stupid if we just traveled for two or three half-moons, then the Clans show up and force us to go home! Our Clanmates would laugh at us until the day we join StarClan._

_All journeys must come to an end, Jaypaw, _Nightpaw said calmly.

_So you're saying we just give up now? _the tom responded, outraged.

_I'm saying that the tribe doesn't need your help. If they did, they would send help._

_Nightpaw, you're not making any sense, _I said angrily. _You sent me a image of a shortcut! Why even help us if we're just going around in circles._

Nightpaw's voice didn't stutter once. _I'm saying the tribe doesn't need your help, _she said, _because if you do help them, one of you is going to die._

_**-b-r-e-e-z-e-**_

The cat's strides were getting longer and more confident. They kept their gaze straight forward, not daring to look back. Brambleclaw kept insisting that we had to 'save energy' and don't waste time moving their heads.

Brambleclaw suddenly stopped. He arched his neck and lowered it to the ground and sniffed. "They were here," he growled. "A few sunrises ago." He lifted his arched neck to stare into the distance, then he began to walk again.

"Lets hurry," he called. "Their scent is leading this way."

Ashfur glanced at Leafpool, but all the she-cat did was shrug and keep walking.

_**-b-r-a-m-b-l-e**_

_Wake up!_

I lifted my head sleepily to see Jaypaw glaring at me.

_Are we leaving?_

_We were about to leave you, _the tom snapped. _Now get your lazy tail up so we can start moving._

I rolled my eyes and walked after Jaypaw. My travelmates were all crowding over a large, plump pheasent's body, and I didn't waste any time leaping over and beginning to eat.

After what seemed like moons, my belly was full and warm. This was the first time I had actually had a good meal- not including the bog or Twolegplace. I suddenly realized how sore my shoulders and muscles were- maybe it was my new powers that had blocked out all pain and emotions.

_No, _Nightpaw said, laughing. _You can still feel pain and emotions. I just had to take away that pain for a while until you got used to me._

I felt a lump form in my throat. _What? _I choked. _You can control that?_

_Of course, _Nightpaw said, a little curious. _I'm part of you now._

I began to respond, but suddenly a loud screech filled my ears. I grunted in surprise and rolled onto my side, my ears yowling in pain.

My sight blurred, but I managed to see Jaypaw writihing around on the ground, his mouth open in a soundless screech of alarm.

_Evil! _Nightpaw was screeching. _A great evil is coming! The tribe will slowly persih, and the mountains shall be taken over my rouges! They shall grow tired of the mountains, and slowly come and destroy the Clans!_

My hearing was slowly returning, but I was beginning to lose conciousness.

"Leopardpaw!" That was Breezepaw, standing over me, glancing at me in alarm. "What's wrong?"

I could only gasp in pain as images and words and noises filled my mind, and my hearing decided to go away again.

The last thing I saw before blacking out was a shadow standing beside Breezepaw with ice-blue eyes and a single patch of black fur over her eye.

_**-n-i-g-h-t-**_

**Uh oh :c Who is the shadow cat? And what's wrong with Leopardpaw? What will happen? :O I can answer these questions, but I choose not to :]**

**Review, favorite, and follow! :D**


	18. Chapter 18: Thanks for The Memories

**Going to stop doing summaries. Look back, you lazy kits.**

_**-l-e-o-p-a-r-d-**_

_I woke up in a meadow. _The sky was bright blue, and off-white clouds dotted the sky. I sat up in a patch of purple and pink flowers, and the pollen drifted up and filled my nostrils. I noticed Jaypaw beside me. He was sitting up too, his blue eyes drifting around the meadow.

"Where are we?" I asked, slightly scared.

"In your memories," Jaypaw answered.

"Is this where Nightpaw always disappears off to?" I wondered.

Jaypaw nodded. "Yes. She is searching for something important."

"Like what?"

Jaypaw didn't respond. "Oh, there's Nightpaw."

Padding towards us was the shadow cat I had seen before. She looked larger and more powerful, with her shoulders pulsing beneath her jet-black pelt. Her icy-blue eyes seemed much more colder, and the white splash on her eye seemed as white as snow, and added to a scary effect of her cold eyes.

But Nightpaw's voice was much more different then her appearence. "Hi, Leopardpaw." Her voice was cool and flowed smoothly, unlike in my mind, when it was muffled and hard to hear.

"Enough," I barked. "Why did you scream in our ears? Right now, I bet the others are frantic, trying to figure out why we're sleep."

Nightpaw and Jaypaw exchanged glances before laughing. "What?" I asked, irratible.

"You're travelmates are fine," Nightpaw chuckled. "Thornpaw and Lionpaw are carrying you. Pebblepaw, Tigerpaw, and Breezepaw are carrying Jaypaw."

I felt a little different. Somewhere deep in my body, I felt as if I was somewhere else. The feeling felt as if I was resting on a cat, and a slight bump as my Clanmates carried me.

Jaypaw flicked one ear. "Lets look through your memories, shall we?" Without waiting for an answer, the sky began to turn colors. From blue to purple to green, and then a dark green. The ground changed also. It felt much softer and the air was warm and full of affection and the sweet scent of a queen's milk.

I suddenly realized that I was inside a nursery. I pricked my ears and glanced at Jaypaw, but he wasn't looking at me. He was crouched beside a cat that looked just like me, except her eyes were a dark green and her tail tip was dark-grey.

I realized that the cat I was staring at was my mother. "She..." My mother lifted up her head to stare at me, and I froze. I bet she would be curious and surprised to find three apprentices standing in the nursery with her.

"She can't see us." Nightpaw said, approaching the queen. She jabbed a paw through the cat's pelt, but her paw went through the queen as if she were nothing but a river.

Suddenly, Brambleclaw strolled in. He looked the same he was, except his amber eyes were cold and dark. He stared at my mother with a look full of horror and rage.

"What are _those?_" he snarled, pointing a paw at the four pitiful scraps of fur.

My mother wrapped her tail around her children and glared at Brambleclaw. "These are my kits," she snapped. "Or, your _kits._"

I froze. Brambleclaw was my _father?_

"I will not claim those weak little rats," Brambleclaw snarled. "Do not tell anyone that I am the father, or I shall not just kill you, but those little... _monsters_."

My mother bowed her head, staring at the kits. Two had brown tabby pelts, and the other two looked like me. I realized that the last kit _was _me. I began to inspect myself- I was skinny and pitiful looking- with closed eyes and a wet, messy pelt.

"Just leave," my mother whispered.

Brambleclaw huffed and spun on his heels before sauntering out of the nursery, his tail high.

Jaypaw looked at me, his gaze full of sorrow.

"How long have you known?" I asked quietly.

Jaypaw lowered his head. "For a long time," he muttered.

"Too long, I presume!" I snarled. "How could you! Hiding secrets that were none of your business!"

Jaypaw glared at me. "Wait a minute!" he shouted. "It _is _my business! Rock spoke to me that-"

"Oh, Rock, Rock, _Rock!_" I said in a mocking tone. "Another little of your StarClan members, I guess?"

Nightpaw flattened her ears. "Leopardpaw... you believe in StarClan, right?" Their piercing blue gazes were set on me, and for a moment, I couldn't feel my tongue.

"I..." I shuffled my paws. "I don't know, Nightpaw. Right now, everything I seem to know seems to be a lie."

_**-l-e-o-p-a-r-d-**_

"I want to wake up."

That's what I told Jaypaw as soon as we left the nursery.

Jaypaw glanced at me. "Unfortunately..." he shuffled his paws. "That can't happen."

I looked at him. "What do you mean?" I demanded.

"It's Nightpaw's choice," explained the grey tom. "And I don't think she's done... showing us yet." I flicked my tail as Nightpaw approached. She had something in her mouth...

As the black she-cat came closer, I realized it was the stick that Jaypaw had found a few half moons ago. "Rock," Jaypaw breathed. "Rock.. is he here?"

Nightpaw flicked her ear. "He was," she said. "But he's gone now?" Jaypaw pawed at the ground, frustrated. "Why?" he demanded.

"Rock is busy," Nightpaw responded, shrugging her shoulders. "He claimed that he needed to visit the tribe and give them a prophecy."

My eyes narrowed as I remebered what Nightpaw had spoken to Jaypaw and I earlier- that a cat was going to die. "Nightpaw," I said, "which one of us is going to die?"

Nightpaw glanced at me briefly. "I don't know," she replied carefully. "The sign was unclear and blurr."

"What did the sign look like?" Jaypaw asked, suddenly interested.

Nightpaw sat down and curled her tail around her paws. "I was at the lake," she began. "And all of a sudden, the water turned red. The ground suddenly shot up, and I was in the mountains. I saw Stoneteller crouched on his highrock, and he was talking to the tribe. You cats were sitting in your own group at the back of the crowd, and some of the to-bes were whispering and looking at you. All of a sudden, cats poured into the tribe's camp. Kits and queens were ushered into the nursery, and caveguards and prey-hunters were instantly on their paws, ready to fight for their Clan.

In the lead of the invading cats was a large brown tom with thick fur and cold blue eyes. 'Stoneteller!' he cried. 'Your time in the mountains has come to the end.' Then he flicked his tail, and his warriors were on the tribe cats, showing no mercy."

She shuddered as if a cold wind had sliced through the meadow. "The battle went on for a long time," she continued. "No cat seemed to grow tired- they were feasting on adreneline and hunger for blood. Blood. Blood. _Blood. _So much was spilled. The ground could not be seen. There was so much blood...

The battle finally ended when Stoneteller's shriek of pain filled the clearing. The brown tom had him pinned, his claws digging into the leader's throat. 'Enough,' he shouted. 'Leave them here to die.' And so the cats left. Kits and to-bes were slaughtered... even the elders. Only a few prey-hunters and caveguards were alive, but they were on their way to join the Tribe of Endless Hunting."

Nightpaw took a deep gasp of breath, her whiskers quivering and ice-blue eyes glassy as she re-told the cats about her frightening prophecy.

"None of you were hurt thouh. Jaypaw managed to heal the cats that were alive- a few kits, a to-be, and one prey-hunter were still alive. You healed them. You began to leave, but all of a sudden.." Nightpaw shuddered again. "You were crowded over a body. I counted only seven of you... one of you was... dead."

We were quiet for a moment, taking in all the information Nightpaw had just given us.

"Who... who was it?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know," Nightpaw whispered. "You were all crowded over the cat, and I couldn't see any fur color." She closed her eyes. "It's time for you two to go," she added softly.

Suddenly, the sun turned black, and so did the sky. The stars were a dark red, and the sun casted a dark grey shadow over the darkening meadow.

"What's going on?" I yowled to Jaypaw. But he was slowly... drifting away?

"Help!" he screeched, clawing desperatly at the ground. His pleas were slowly drowned out as a long, clawed paw reached out and grabbed Jaypaw by the tail. The tom was gone as the paw drug Jaypaw towards the sun.

"No!" Jaypaw wailed, but his voice was abruplty cut off.

I found myself drifting away too, and I screamed and wailed and yowled. "Nightpaw!" I shouted. "Help me!"

Weird tendrils were sprouting out of Nightpaw's body, and the tips were dark red like the stars. "All will be told soon," Nightpaw said in a creepy, spaced out voice.

"Please!" I screamed, but the clawed paw grabbed my tail, and everything went black.

_**-n-i-g-h-t-**_


End file.
